A seven-year-old boy was allegedly killed by gunshots while he was playing along with others at a village ground in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district, police said on Wednesday adding that they suspect him to be a victim of celebratory firing or misfiring by someone from the neighbourhood.
The incident occurred at Awgil-Rampur village under Medinichowki police station area. The victim has been identified as Deo Kumar. The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead. During medical examination, doctors detected five to six pellet-like objects in his body, which was removed during autopsy, said police.
Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) (Sadar) Syed Imran Masood said that the police have recovered a modified double barrel breach loading (DBBL) gun from a cowshed in the neighbourhood and further investigations are on. The police also searched the house of the cowshed owner, Krishna Deo and seized a country-made pistol from his bedroom.
“The police team detained his wife for interrogation. The seized firearms and pellets have been sent for forensic tests,” said ASP, adding that the police are also examining the CCTV footage of nearby areas.
Primary investigations have suggested that someone opened fire inside the cowshed resulting in bullet wounds to the boy. Locals said they had heard what sounded like a gunshot and blood started spurting out of the boy’s body. They told reporters that five to six minors were playing together when everyone suddenly heard the gunshots.
Irate over the murder, villagers blocked Lakhisarai-Munger NH 80 and disrupted vehicular traffic for more than two hours. They burnt tyres, demanded action against the culprits, compensation to the next to the kin of deceased and shouted slogans against the administration. The blocade was lifted after an assurance from the ASP.