CISF head constable Akshay Kumar Mishra fired the first bullet at assistant sub-inspector Ranjit Kumar Sarangi from a distance before walking a few steps towards him to fire from a closer range, said an officer who is part of the probe team.
Mishra, the officer said, then retreated into the barracks before returning to the spot and walking closer to Sarangi to pump a third bullet into him to ensure his death.
The police said the first two bullets hit Sarangi on the right side of his face and his left arm. By the time Mishra fired the third bullet, Sarangi had slumped to the ground.
The third bullet pierced him and exited the body through the left side of the chest, the officer said.
After ensuring Sarangi’s death, Mishra turned his rifle on assistant commandant Subir Ghosh, who was standing not far from Mishra.
“Subir Ghosh and others, including Sarangi, were discussing arrangements to be made for August 15 when suddenly Mishra snatched the rifle from the line sentry and opened fire,” said the officer.
One of the bullets hit Ghosh in his arm. By then other CISF officers who were standing there started running for cover. Ghosh’s driver jumped into a waterbody to save himself.
The police said they later learned that Mishra was trying to target four of his colleagues, including Sarangi and Ghosh.
“He is still very angry with a few of his colleagues. He is alleging that they had clicked his photograph one day when he had dozed off while on duty and used to blackmail him with that,” said the officer.
Mishra’s family in Odisha had told The Telegraph on Sunday that he had differences with his superiors over an extension of his leave but CISF officers in Kolkata said there were “no pending leave requests” from Mishra.
The police said Mishra had taken 30 days of earned leave and five days of casual leave after his father’s death.
The officer said that had Mishra wanted, he could have emptied the entire magazine containing 30 bullets. “He fired only 15 bullets, targeting four of his colleagues,” the officer said.