Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 12-year-old boy studying in class three died of a gunshot injury he received in his head under mysterious circumstances at his home in JP Nagar area under Gautam nagar police station limits.
The child was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition late Friday night where he succumbed during treatment.
ACP Hanumanganj Rakesh Singh Baghel said the victim Ibrahim, son of a contractor Rizwan Lala, was found lying in the balcony of his house at around 1 AM on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. Rizwan’s wife claimed she ran upstairs on hearing the gunshot and saw her son lying unconscious while a pistol was lying nearby.
She immediately called her husband who was out for dinner. Rizwan rushed back home and admitted Ibrahim to Kamla Nehru Hospital where he died while undergoing treatment at around 11 AM on Saturday.
Police reached the spot after receiving information from hospital authorities. An FSL team carried out an investigation at the spot of the incident and collected samples and evidence. Besides a spent cartridge, the team also found a bullet mark on a wall.
ACP Baghel said the short post mortem examination report suggested that the bullet was fired from a very close range. The bullet reportedly entered through the temple and exited from the head. Doctors said that such an injury was usually seen in cases of suicide as deposition of carbon was heavier in the entrance wound.
The statement of the boy’s family would be recorded to establish if he was disturbed over some issue, the ACP added.
Police officials said that a case under the Arms Act would be registered against Ibrahim’s uncle Wahid Noor ( to whom the pistol belonged) and he would soon be rounded up for questioning about the source of the illegal weapon.
The incident was being probed from all possible angles and further action would be taken as per the investigation, officials added.
Accidental firing not ruled out
ACP Baghel said that cleaning work was going on at Rizwan’s house for the past two days. During this time, Ibrahim found the pistol. It was possible that while playing, the boy may have loaded the pistol after which a cartridge got into the chamber.
As usual in childish behaviour, he placed the gun on his temple and assuming it to be empty he pulled the trigger, resulting in the fatal injury.
The illegal pistol belongs to victim’s uncle
Police investigations revealed that the .32 bore pistol involved in the incident was illegal and belonged to Rizwan’s brother-in-law Wahid Noor. Rizwan claimed that earlier Wahid stayed in the same house and may have kept the pistol somewhere which Ibrahim found during the cleaning work.
Investigations also revealed that Ibrahim’s father Rizwan had two licensed firearms which included a 30 calibre pistol and a .22 rifle. However, he had sold the rifle some time back.
