In a tragic incident highlighting severe negligence in firearm safety, police in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district have arrested a landlord after his minor son accidentally fired a licensed rifle, resulting in the death of a seven-year-old boy.
The Fatal Incident in Porsa Town
The heart-wrenching event unfolded on Saturday night in the Sanjay Nagar area of Porsa town. According to officials, the victim, the seven-year-old son of a tenant, was playing inside a room with the landlord's minor son. During their play, a licensed .315 bore rifle owned by the landlord, identified as Ravi alias Lokendra Tomar, accidentally discharged.
The bullet struck the young child in the head, causing instantaneous death. Police were immediately alerted and rushed to the scene. They promptly seized the weapon and took the landlord into custody, launching an initial inquiry into the circumstances.
Gross Violations of Firearm Safety Norms
The subsequent police investigation revealed shocking and serious lapses in adhering to basic firearm safety protocols. Officials stated that the licensed rifle was not stored securely. It was kept loaded inside the house with its safety lock disengaged. Most critically, the weapon was stored in a location easily accessible to children.
These blatant violations, police emphasized, directly led to the firearm being handled by the children and accidentally going off. A post-mortem report later confirmed the cause of death as a gunshot wound, corroborating the initial findings.
Legal Repercussions and Ongoing Probe
Based on the evidence of negligence, the Porsa police registered a formal case under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the licence holder, Ravi Tomar. He was subsequently arrested for his gross negligence in handling his licensed firearm.
The rifle has been seized for detailed forensic and ballistic examination to establish the exact sequence of the discharge. Police authorities have indicated that further legal action will be determined based on the forensic reports and the final outcome of the investigation.
This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the paramount importance of responsible firearm ownership, especially ensuring weapons are stored unloaded, locked, and completely out of reach of children.
