AHMEDABAD: What was initially reported as a suspected suicide has turned into an alleged conspiracy to cover up the accidental shooting of a young man during a hunting expedition on the outskirts of Payarka village in Bhuj taluka.
A young man was shot dead during a hunting expedition near Payarka village in Kutch, following which the accused allegedly concealed the licensed firearm and replaced it with an illegal country-made gun to mislead investigators.
Four people have been arrested, while six others are absconding.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) and Local Crime Branch (LCB) of Gujarat’s West Kutch police are probing the incident.
The deceased, identified as Kadar Jat, was initially believed to have died by suicide after suffering a bullet injury to his head. Accordingly, Mankuwa police registered an accidental death case on November 4, 2026. However, inconsistencies in the accounts provided by those present at the scene raised suspicions, prompting the SOG and LCB to launch a parallel investigation.
Briefing the media, Bhuj Deputy Superintendent of Police M.J. Christian said the investigation exposed a completely different sequence of events, pointing towards an accidental firing followed by an alleged attempt to destroy evidence.
Christian added that the SOG subsequently received a crucial tip-off suggesting that Kadar had not died by suicide but had been accidentally shot by one of his companions during a hunting expedition.
According to the police investigation, Kadar and several others had gone hunting on the night of November 3, using a licensed firearm belonging to a former sarpanch.
During the expedition, Isha Jat allegedly pressed the trigger accidentally while handling the gun. The bullet struck Kadar in the head, leaving him critically injured. He was subsequently taken to a nearby farm, where he was declared dead.
Police suspect that those present feared legal consequences, including the seizure of the licensed firearm and possible cancellation of its licence. Instead of reporting the incident accurately, they allegedly decided to conceal the weapon used in the shooting and replace it with an illegal firearm.
Investigators found that the group contacted Jacob, a man with a criminal history, to arrange an illicit weapon. The licensed firearm was allegedly swapped with a locally made illegal gun in an attempt to mislead the police and conceal the actual circumstances of Kadar's death.
Christian said the investigation had exposed the alleged weapon-swapping operation and established the involvement of multiple individuals in the cover-up.
"We have identified 10 people in connection with the case. Four have been arrested, while efforts are underway to trace the remaining six," he said.
The West Kutch police have initiated legal proceedings against all 10 accused. Further investigation is underway to recover the firearms and establish the precise roles played by each individual in the alleged conspiracy.