Bhopal/Morena, Dec 29 : A seven-year-old boy was killed after a licensed rifle allegedly went off accidentally in the hands of a 14-year-old in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district, police said on Sunday, in an incident that has renewed concerns over easy access to firearms.
The incident occurred on Saturday night at the landlord’s house, where the victim’s family lived as tenants. Police said the landlord’s 14-year-old son picked up his father’s licensed .315 bore rifle while playing with other minors on the second floor of the house.
The victim, identified as Rishabh Tomar, sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died on the spot. “The rifle discharged while being handled by the minor, and the bullet hit the child in the head,” a police official said.
Family members and neighbours rushed to the spot after hearing the gunshot and found the child lying in a pool of blood. The body was later sent for post-mortem examination.
However, the victim’s family has alleged murder, claiming in their complaint that another rifle was used in the firing and was later removed from the scene. Police have seized the licensed rifle and questioned the minor’s father, who works as a private security guard.
During inspection of the room, investigators found a bullet lodged inside a cupboard, raising questions about the sequence of events. A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team has been called in to reconstruct the incident and determine the exact circumstances of the firing.
Police said the case is under active investigation. Officials noted that the incident once again highlights the issue of easy access to licensed firearms in the region, with Morena having the highest number of licensed weapons in Madhya Pradesh.
