A jawan from the 6th Assam Police Battalion allegedly died by suicide on Friday at the Mahadevpur border watch post in the Cachar district. Lance Naik Rupul Barman, 41, was found by his colleagues in a pool of blood with a bullet wound to the head after a gunshot was heard from the barracks.

Barman was immediately rushed to Kalain Govt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Following a magistrate's inquest, his body was sent to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy.

Preliminary investigations suggest that Barman used his service weapon to take his own life, although the motive remains unknown. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The incident has plunged Barman's unit and native village into deep mourning. He is survived by his mother, wife, and two children.

This is not an isolated incident within the Assam Police. In July 2025, a police constable, Manik Das, died by suicide at the 10th Assam Police Battalion (APBN) headquarters in Kahilipara, Guwahati. Das allegedly shot himself in the head with his service revolver after returning from duty. In March 2024, Anupam Gowala, the officer-in-charge of Namrup police station in Dibrugarh, allegedly killed himself with his service revolver after shooting a woman. In April 2023, a constable posted at Behali police station in Biswanath Chariali allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle.

These incidents raise concerns about the well-being of police personnel and the potential stressors they face in their line of duty. Further investigation is needed to understand the underlying causes and implement preventative measures.