Court dismisses CISF armourer’s reinstatement plea

Madurai: Madras high court has dismissed the plea moved by a man who was awarded punishment of compulsory retirement from CISF for negligence in handling a repair in a rifle which caused loss of sight of another CISF personnel after a live round hit his right eye during training at Villupuram in 2008.

Justice V Bhavani Subbaroyan observed that petitioner C Jayabalan had committed grave misconduct and the authorities have rightly awarded the punishment of compulsory retirement. Jayabalan was posted at

the Neyveli Lignite Corporation

in

Cuddalore district

and was on duty as head constable/armourer along with others during training at Khanjanur police firing range in Villupuram on July 20, 2008. When CISF

jawan N Sahadevan

was in a lying position for firing, a live round got stuck in the chamber of his rifle. Sahadevan called the armourer to do the needful. While trying to repair it, the petitioner placed the screwdriver at the base of the cocking handle and hit the screwdriver using a hammer twice slowly and then gave a

forceful hit

. Consequently, the cocking handle was released and the live round which was stuck in the chamber came out with force hitting the right eye of Sahadevan damaging its retina.

As the negligence of the petitioner caused permanent damage / loss of vision to the eye of Sahadevan, the authorities issued a charge memo. Later, after an inquiry, they punished him by reducing his pay by three stages for two years. Though he appealed against it, it was unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the CISF, southern sector inspector general in Chennai suo motu reviewed the case and found that the penalty awarded and confirmed by the appellate authority was inadequate.