Railway station firing: Constable granted bail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ishakiya Pani, the Railway Police Force (RPF) constable whose service pistol went off accidentally on Friday, injuring a pedestrian at the railway station here, was granted bail after a case was registered against him by the Government Railway Police (GRP), the state police wing attached to Railways. A Abdul Rahim, Circle Inspector, GRP, said the RPF had handed over the constable to the GRP, after being placed under court regard at the RPF Station since Friday night. The RPF had constituted a board headed by an officer of the rank of a deputy superintendent of police to investigate the incident and a separate departmental enquiry was on. The GRP, meanwhile, had registered a case under Section 338 of the Indian Penal Code for causing grievous injury to a person by a negligent act, in this case the negligent handling of a weapon, which was punishable with imprisonment of up to two years but a bailable offence as well. The weapon was taken into custody on Friday itself and it was subject to examination by a ballistic expert. The weapon would now be sent for forensic examinations via the court while the constable was allowed bail at 7 pm on Saturday, Rahim said.