Selfie-related accidents in India have frequently been in the news, but this time it was an eight-year-old boy who fell victim to it.
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While some reports claim that the minor — a resident of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh — was accidentally shot in the head while trying to take a picture with a gun, others say he was shot by a man with whom he was clicking a selfie.
Two versions
One version of events say the child, identified as one Junaid, his siblings and his friends had reportedly asked their neighbour Taj Mohammad alias Kale for his gun. They were clicking selfies with it, during which the child was injured as the gun went off. The child is being treated at Delhi's GTB hospital.
However, reports have also suggested that Kale shot the child on the pretext of clicking selfies with him after Junaid refused to get him cigarettes.
Police officer Satendra Prakash said Kale lives in a rented flat in the same Dudhiya Peepal locality in Dasna as Junaid. He is a fruit vendor by profession.
The victim's family has alleged that the accused had asked Junaid to fetch him a packet of cigarettes from a nearby shop, but Junaid refused. It has also been alleged that Kale was drunk when the incident took place.
Probe underway
Mohammad Nizamuddin, the maternal grandfather of victim was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times: "Kale had been seen loitering around in a drunk state with some other men since Sunday. After saying no, Junaid came back home. Meanwhile, Kale and his friends, who were carrying a country-made weapon, started taking selfies. Just then, Junaid moved out of the house and they called him."
Nizamuddin added: "The boy went to him this time, hoping that his picture would be clicked. Kale pointed the mobile phone at Junaid to click his picture and opened fire. The bullet has hit his eye. We took him to two private hospitals in Ghaziabad but they asked us to take him to a bigger hospital."
Kale, meanwhile, has told the police after he was arrested that he had accidentally shot Junaid. "On being questioned he told us that he was taking a picture of Junaid and the weapon was triggered accidentally. However, we will go by what the family has alleged in their complaint. A crime has been committed and FIR would be lodged," said Atish Kumar Singh, circle officer.
It is also being probed whether Kale's gun was a legal weapon. Reports claim Junaid has lost vision in his right eye.
