India policeman 'shoots himself to win award' Published duration 23 March 2011

A policeman in India has shot himself in an alleged attempt to win a bravery award, officials say.

Mahesh Rajguru, who was on duty outside a politician's house in the northern state of Rajasthan, is recovering from his injuries in hospital.

Mr Rajguru initially said six unidentified men had shot at him outside the house in Jaipur.

But, when questioned further, he told police that he "had shot himself to claim a gallantry award".

Mr Rajguru apparently claimed that the men had shot at him and escaped in a car after the "attack" on Sunday night.

"Senior officials rushed to the spot and found his statements and crime scene suspicious," Additional Commissioner of Jaipur police Arun Macya told the Press Trust of India news agency.

"He confessed that no such incident which he had narrated took place and he shot himself just to claim a gallantry award by showing bravery."

In his initial statement to the police quoted by The Times of India newspaper, Mr Rajguru claimed the men "started firing as soon as they spotted me".

"A bullet hit my stomach... When I screamed, they ran outside and again opened fire while getting into a car parked outside. Two more bullets hit my shoulders."