Groom firing may be celebratory shot gone wrong, say police

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, January 23

With the family members of the groom, who sustained a bullet injury in the walled city area on Monday evening, hesitating to record statements, the police suspect that it may be a case of celebratory fire going wrong.

ADCP JS Walia said, “Police officials repeatedly approached the family members of groom Rajiv Kumar, but they neither lodged any complaint nor came to record their statements.”

Rajiv was on sitting on a mare and the baraat was going from Laxmansar Chowk to Pishori Hall in Katra Karam Singh Chowk when three youth turned up and started firing gunshots into the air. All of a sudden, Rajiv started bleeding from chest and rushed to doctors. Though it turned out to be a minor injury, the incident led to panic among the family members and relatives.

As the news spread, Division C SHO Ravi Sher Singh reached the spot for investigation. However, the family members desisted from lodging a police complaint.

“Until and unless someone from the family or the victim lodges a complaint, we cannot register an FIR,” said Walia while adding that the police were investigating and trying to find CCTV footage or recording from the videographer at the marriage function. Nothing has been found till now.

It appears that it was a celebratory fire by some relative or the friends of the groom. But nothing concrete can be said that the moment. Further probe is under way, the police added.

Not willing to record statement

Rajiv’s family is hesitant to record statement. He sustained a gunshot during his marriage. The police believe that someone from his kin or friends may have fired into the air during celebrations, hitting the victim unintentionally.