An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) committed suicide by shooting himself with his service revolver at his residential flat in Police Line under Golmuri thana area late on Monday afternoon.

The ASI, identified as Tarun Pandey (37), fired a shot in his right temple soon after a brawl with his wife on the second floor of a four-storeyed police quarters at the police line at about 4 pm.

As the incident unfolded, the cop's wife who was also at the residence screamed for help. Police men from the neighbourhood ran to the spot and rushed the critically injured cop to the Tata Main Hospital, but he collapsed while being carried from the upstairs to the ground floor.

Soon a doctor was called in and finally he was declared as dead.

The news of the ASI shooting himself spread like a wildfire in the police circle, leading senior SP M Tamil Vanan and city SP Subhash Chandra Jat to reach the spot at the Police Line.

Jat later confirmed the suicide while talking to The Telegraph Online.

"The ASI, Tarun Pandey shot himself and eventually died on scene of shooting. The incident took place at his residence where his wife was also present. It has not been known yet whether there was a quarrel with his wife or not. The cause of the suicide is being investigated," the City SP told The Telegraph Online.

The City SP said they tried to talk to the deceased's wife but she could not speak as she was terribly in shock. He said the reason behind the cop taking such a drastic step will only be known when the widow gives a statement to the police. He stated that they have seized the pistol that the ASI had used in shooting himself.

A senior police officer, however, said that there was a brawl between the husband and wife, and the ASI had shot himself dead in an impulsive mood soon afterward.

According to police sources, Tarun, who married in June, had returned from Nalanda district a week ago and was in home quarantine at the Police Line Quarters with his newly-wed wife.

Originally a resident of Nalanda district of Bihar, Tarun Pandey was an athlete. He had joined the police department as a constable, but due to his athletic background, he was promoted to the post of ASI a year ago.