In an accidental firing from a licensed barrel gun, one 19-year-old boy succumbed to bullet injuries in a private hospital on Thursday, and police detained two persons — the gun owner and a juvenile boy — from Kontha Ahallup Awang Leikai under Heingang Police Station in Manipur’s Imphal East district.
According to information, the incident occurred when the deceased, identified as Ashem Tondonba Meitei (19), son of A. Gonindro Meitei, a resident of Kontha Ahallup Leikai, was shot by one of his juvenile friends who was holding a licensed barrel gun belonging to Nandeibam Hemanta Singh (52), son of N. Mangi Singh of Khabam Heibong Makhong under the same police station.
The deceased Tondonba and two of his juvenile friends had gone to Hemanta’s residence. One of the juveniles took out the gun, which accidentally went off and hit Ashem Tondonba Meitei in the chest. The juvenile involved in the incident was picked up and handed over to the Juvenile Justice Board for legal proceedings.
The licensed gun holder, Nandeibam Hemanta Singh, has been arrested. He has been charged with allowing an unauthorised person to handle a firearm and failing to store it safely. A case has been registered at Heingang Police Station under the Arms Act, 1959, for further investigation and necessary legal procedures. The body of the victim is currently kept at the JNIMS hospital morgue for post-mortem examination.
