In a shocking incident in Hyderabad, a personal security officer (PSO) attached to the Commissioner of the Hyderabad Air Quality Management Authority (HYDRAA) allegedly attempted to end his life using his service weapon. The event unfolded in the early hours of Sunday at his residence in Hayathnagar, sending ripples through the police community.
Early Morning Gunshot and Desperate Rescue
The quiet of Sunday dawn in Hayathnagar was shattered around 6:30 am by a deafening sound. Family members of 32-year-old Armed Reserve Constable Krishna Chaitanya, initially mistaking the noise for a cylinder blast, soon made a horrifying discovery. They found Chaitanya lying on the floor of a room in his house, bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound, with his official pistol nearby.
Acting swiftly, his wife alerted his father, and together they rushed the critically injured constable to a private hospital in LB Nagar. Medical teams immediately performed surgery to remove a bullet. A CT scan revealed the devastating extent of his injuries: extensive skull fractures and severe brain damage. Hospital authorities have stated his condition remains critical, with the next 48 hours being crucial for his survival.
Mounting Debts from Online Betting Led to Crisis
Preliminary investigations by the Hayathnagar police, who have registered a case, point to a tragic motive. Chaitanya, a 2020 batch constable, was allegedly trapped in a cycle of debt stemming from online betting. Police officials revealed that he suffered significant financial losses approximately two years ago due to his betting addiction.
To cover these losses, he reportedly took large loans. As the pressure to repay these mounting debts intensified, it pushed him towards this extreme step. “We are yet to ascertain how much money he had borrowed and from whom,” a police official added. The situation was compounded by the fact that Chaitanya was also suffering from serious health issues.
A Pattern of Distress and Official Concern
This was not the first sign of trouble for Constable Chaitanya. HYDRAA officials disclosed that his superiors were aware of his struggles and had even counselled him in the past regarding his predicament. His distress had manifested earlier in a dramatic fashion when he chose to stay away from his family for three months, leading his relatives to file a missing person's complaint at the Hayathnagar police station.
The incident has drawn serious attention from top officials. HYDRAA Commissioner A V Ranganath, whom Chaitanya was assigned to protect, visited the hospital to enquire about his gunman's condition. The case highlights the severe personal crises that can afflict individuals, including those in uniform, often hidden behind their public duties.
The police investigation is ongoing, focusing on the exact sequence of events, the full scale of his financial liabilities, and the broader circumstances that led to this tragic suicide attempt.
