BENGALURU: A 32-year-old man is being treated at a hospital after a single-barrel rifle he was carrying misfired, badly injuring his left leg. The victim and his friends were on their way to hunt wild boars in a forest area near Magadi on the outskirts of the city when the rifle went off.
All three were going on the same bike and the victim who was sitting in the centre was holding the rifle. En route, the rider lost control and all three fell from the bike. Even as they were falling, the rifle misfired. The police have now registered a case under the Arms Act against all the three and the owner of the rifle. Two of them have been arrested.
The victim, Lingaraju alias Paapa, is a resident of Aralepet in Magadi Town. The incident occurred at Kalya between TC Palya and Subba Shastry Palya Road early on Sunday morning. Lingaraju, a driver, had gone to his friend Muralidhar’s house. The two then picked up another friend, Karthik, and decided to go hunting. Muralidhar had borrowed the gun from his friend, Muniranganna.
Karthik rode the bike, Lingaraju sat in the middle and Muralidhar at last. When the bike skidded, the misfired bullet hit Lingaraju’s left leg. “The leg was badly injured. He underwent a surgery and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city. He is out of danger. His brother, 34-year-old Jeevan Kumar, has filed a complaint.
An FIR has been registered against Karthik, Lingaraju, Muralidhar and Muniranganna. Karthik and Muralidhar have been arrested. Search is on for Muniranganna, who handed over the weapon illegally. Lingaraju will be taken into custody after his treatment. We are checking if Muniranganna had a licence for the gun and the purpose for possessing the gun,” said an officer.
The Magadi police of Ramanagara district registered a case under the Arms Act and causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others (BNS 125(a)). Further investigations are on.