Lucknow: SSF Personnel Outside Ram Temple Dies From Gunshot

A senior police officer reported that a 25-year-old member of the UP Special Security Force (SSF), assigned to guard the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, passed away from a gunshot wound. Around 5:30 in the morning, the event occurred while the deceased was stationed at the gate alongside two other security personnel.

His two colleagues, who were present at the scene, informed the police that they had last seen him engrossed in watching a video on his mobile phone. They mentioned that at the time of the incident, they had their backs turned towards him, unaware of what was happening.

Praveen Kumar, the Inspector General of Police for the Ayodhya range, stated that Shatrughan Vishwakarma had been assigned duty at the VIP gate of Koteshwar Temple, which is approximately 150 meters away from the recently built Ram Temple.

Kumar said, “They said they turned around on hearing a gunshot and saw Shatrughan slumped on the ground.” He mentioned that the individual had a gunshot wound to the forehead.

Kumar stated, “Other security personnel deployed there rushed him to a local hospital where he was declared, brought dead.” The senior police officer remarked that it remained uncertain whether the gunshot was accidental or intentional.

The forensic team was urgently summoned to examine the crime scene, analyzing every detail to unravel the precise sequence of events and uncover the truth behind what transpired.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force (UP SSF), established in 2021 and modeled after the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), has deployed one of its six battalions to ensure the security of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, where they have been stationed for the past 18 months.