Cop held after shots go off his gun

This is the second incident of accidental firing by a policeman on duty in the national capital this month; there were no injuries in either incident. In the first instance,a constable holding his head constable’s service revolver had accidentally fired it on the ground — this was reported on August 4.

The recent incident took place on the intervening night of August 19 and 20. Police sources said a case under IPC Section 336 (negligence) has been registered against Constable Vikram at RK Puram police station. They said Meghalaya police have been informed about the incident.

A senior officer said Vikram was immediately disarmed by other police personnel on duty in the area and was arrested later.

The August 4 incident was reported from Police Security Lines headquarter on Vinay Marg — a police head constable and a constable were suspended after the latter accidentally fired a shot from the head constable’s service revolver.

“The head constable gave his weapon over to the constable while going to attend nature’s call,” a police source said. “The constable accidentally fired from the revolver but luckily the bullet didn’t hit anyone as the mouth of the gun was towards the ground.”

According to the source,the incident occurred in ex-PM cell office of the Delhi Police’s security wing.

The source said after the panic subsided,officials reported the matter to the senior officers.

“The inquiry into the incident was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (PM cell) and both were suspended after initial probe,” the source said.

Further inquiry into the matter is on,he added.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Security,PM) Sunil Garg said he was aware of the incident. He did not,however,want to divulge further details.

A senior officer said though no one was hurt in either incident,strong action had to be taken considering the consequences. “The incidents were close (shave); someone could have been killed,” the officer,who did not want to be identified,said. “You need to take care of your weapon very carefully.”

In a similar incident on March 29,a 25-year-old commando of Delhi Police had died after the AK-47 he was carrying went off accidentally while he was checking it in Vasant Vihar,South Delhi.

The commando,Anil Kumar,was checking the weapon before handing it over to the man who was to take over duty from him. Kumar was deployed with ‘Vajra’,the Delhi Police’s anti-riot control vehicle.