RAIPUR: A Railway Protection Force (RPF) head constable shot his colleague dead inside the RPF post during the early hours of Wednesday at Raigarh, around 220 km east of Raipur, a police officer said.

According to eyewitnesses, RPF personnel S Lader had an altercation with his batchmate P K Mishra, also a head constable. As the argument escalated, Lader allegedly pulled out his service revolver and opened fire.

“A RPF jawan shot dead his colleague, both of them head constable, allegedly with his service revolver at around 4 am today. He has been taken into custody. The exact cause of dispute between the two couldn't be known. Further investigation is on,” said Akash Markam, Additional SP (Raigarh).

The incident triggered panic at the Raigarh RPF post, prompting senior officials to rush to the spot.

According to information received in the state capital, Lader is a native of Janjgir-Champa district in Chhattisgarh, while the deceased Mishra hailed from Rewa district in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

Bilaspur RPF IG Munawwar Khurshid and a forensic team inspected the site, and the RPF post was sealed. Further details are awaited.