Girl shot in leg as dad’s gun goes off after pothole jolts bike

Bijnor: A six-year-old girl suffered a bullet injury in her leg after the motorcycle she was riding with her parents hit a pothole in Bijnor on Monday evening, causing an illegal country-made pistol allegedly being carried by her father to go off, police said. The child was taken to hospital for treatment, while her father was later arrested under the Arms Act.According to police, Shoaib, alias Shaukeen, a resident of Narullapur village, had gone to visit relatives on the occasion of Eid along with his wife and daughter, Rahat. While they were returning home on the motorcycle, the vehicle hit a pothole and, during the jolt, the loaded pistol he was allegedly carrying discharged. "The bullet hit the girl in her leg," SP (city) Krishna Gopal Singh said.Singh said the father initially gave inconsistent statements, which raised suspicion when police reached the hospital after receiving information about the injury. The girl was first taken to a private clinic and was later admitted to the district hospital, where doctors began treatment.Police said that during questioning Shaukeen admitted that he had been carrying an illegal loaded countrymade pistol while riding the motorcycle. Investigators said he told them, "The weapon discharged accidentally after the bike hit a pothole and my daughter, who was seated behind me, came into contact with it."Police said they recovered the weapon and registered a case against the accused under Section 3/25 of Arms Act. Singh said, "Action is being taken in connection with illegal possession of arms and negligence in carrying a loaded firearm while travelling with family."