'I didn't realise it would hit someone': School teacher opens fire at children after ball accidentally hits his door; 1 injured

MURSHIDABAD: A primary school teacher was arrested after he allegedly fired pellets from a suspected airgun at children who were playing, injuring one child, in Banipur under the Raghunathganj police station area of Murshidabad on Friday.

Police confiscated the gun from his house.


Local sources identified the arrested teacher as Samir Kumar Mondal, a teacher at Omarpur Primary School. Around 10–12 local children played daily in front of his house in Banipur and the ball often landed inside his property.

It is alleged that Mondal was annoyed and had previously warned the children not to play there.

On Friday, a group of children was playing in a field when the ball accidentally hit the teacher’s door, witnesses said.

They claimed Mondal lost his temper, brought out the airgun and fired four to five rounds to scare the children. As the children ran, one pellet hit a child’s hand.

The injured child’s father, Biswajit Saha, said, "The children were playing, and the ball just hit his door. Does that justify shooting at children? My son was hit and is now in the hospital."

The injured child was taken to Jangipur Subdivision Hospital in a bleeding condition and was undergoing treatment. After receiving the information, police from Raghunathganj police station reached the spot and arrested Mondal from his house.

Police recovered a gun, which they suspect may be a sophisticated airgun, and said forensic testing might be conducted to determine the exact type of weapon.

During interrogation, the arrested teacher admitted wrongdoing but said he did not intend to harm anyone. Mondal said, "I fired only to scare them. I didn't realize it would hit someone."

The incident caused shock in the Banipur area. Police have launched an investigation and said they are taking appropriate legal action against the accused.