india

Updated: Oct 16, 2019 22:22 IST

A head constable shot himself dead with his AK-47 rifle while on duty at the farmhouse of Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) at Erravelli village of Siddipet district Wednesday morning, police said.

Siddipet police commissioner Joel Davis said head constable A Venkateshwarlu (40) had shot himself in an inebriated condition at around 11 am.

“He was habituated to drinking alcohol and had been irregular in his duties. He was suspended from the job last month, but was taken back into service following repeated requests by his wife. He resumed duty from October 1,” he said.

Venkateshwarlu, a native of Valigonda village of Yadadri Bhongir district, belonged to the 12th police battalion and was assigned the duty of head guard at KCR’s farmhouse at Erravelli, about 70 km from Hyderabad.

His wife Shobha (30) is a vegetable vendor in the village. Venkateshwarlu also left behind two children – daughter Vennela (13) and son Chandu (10).

Vennela told reporters that her father had stopped drinking for the last few days. “This morning, he called my mother and told her that he had a quarrel with another constable. We do not know what happened later,” she said.

Gajwel Assistant Commissioner of Police P Narayana said Venkateshwarlu had undergone treatment in a de-addiction centre at Narketpalli in Nalgonda district in the past, but had not changed his habits. “Last week also, he was given a warning to give up his bad habits,” Narayana said.

The body of the constable was sent to government general hospital at Siddipet for post mortem.