18-year-old accidentally kills mother while 'showing off' illegal firearm in southeast Delhi; held

A 37-year-old woman was killed after being accidentally shot while her teenage son was allegedly handling an illegal firearm at their residence in southeast Delhi's Jungpura area, police said on Tuesday.

Preliminary inquiry identified the victim's son, Tarun (18), as the accused.

"Tarun had allegedly procured an illegal country-made pistol from an unidentified person in the Ashram area. While he was showing the weapon to his mother, it accidentally went off, and the bullet hit her in the face," a senior police officer said.

Following the incident, the accused fled the spot but was apprehended after a brief search operation. During interrogation, he led police to a nearby drain where he had thrown the firearm, which was later recovered, the officer said.

A crime team was called to the scene of the crime to collect forensic evidence, police said, adding that a case has been registered in this connection under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Arms Act.

Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest the supplier of the illegal firearm. A PCR call was received around 10.40 am on Monday from Moolchand Hospital, reporting that a woman with a gunshot injury had been brought dead, police said.

The deceased was identified as Sumati (37), a resident of Jungpura, who worked as a domestic help in nearby households. She is survived by her husband, Chotu, a daily-wage gardener, and their three children, including an 11-year-old daughter, they said.