A 15-year-old boy was injured in a shooting incident in northeast Delhi, police said on Sunday, reported PTI.
Authorities received information about the incident in the B-Block of the Welcome area on Saturday. Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered that the victim's father had already taken him to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital.
According to the complainant, on Friday at around 11:30 pm, while he was standing on the street, the accused began abusing him. When the complainant objected, the accused allegedly fired at him, hitting his right leg.
The victim collapsed on the ground after being shot. A case has been registered, and the police are working to identify and apprehend the suspect.
Increasing gun violence
Gun violence in Delhi has become an escalating concern as a series of recent incidents have highlighted the widespread misuse of firearms, despite India's stringent gun laws. The city has witnessed several shootings in January, involving personal disputes, family feuds, and even public altercations.
On January 6, a man shot his younger brother after a marital dispute, according to sources.
On January 5 a 22-year-old youth was shot at in the Sangam Vihar area of South Delhi. Refuting involvement of any gang, the police said that personal enmity as motive behind the shootout.
Also this month, a DTC bus conductor, shot and killed the bus driver, over a dispute involving alcohol, Reported the Times of India.
On January 1 two men were arrested by Delhi police for allegedly supplying firearms used in recent armed robberies across the city. The police linked the gang to at least 12 robberies, in which they targeted victims at random, threatening them with guns and stealing jewellery and cash.
While India’s Arms Act of 1959 restricts the possession and use of firearms without a license, the illegal circulation of guns continues to be a major issue. Many of the recent incidents have involved unlicensed firearms, underlining the challenges faced by law enforcement in curbing illegal gun possession.
Experts argue that while the country has one of the strictest gun control regimes globally, enforcement remains a significant hurdle. The increasing availability of illegal firearms, combined with a lack of awareness and accountability among individuals, has led to an alarming rise in gun-related violence.
Family disputes, rivalries, and personal conflicts are often the catalysts for such violence, with firearms being used to settle scores. These incidents not only result in severe injury and death but also put innocent bystanders at risk, as seen in several cases involving children.
Social media has also emerged as a platform for individuals to flaunt weapons, further glamorizing gun culture. The public display of firearms during live videos and other online content has sparked concerns about the influence of such behavior on impressionable youth.
PTI reports that a 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly brandishing a semi-automatic pistol during a live video on social media, earlier this week.
The weapon has been seized from his possession and an FIR has been registered against him, based on which further investigation is underway, he added. Investigations revealed that he had procured the weapon from a gangster identified as Saurav, the officer said.
During interrogation the accused confessed that he intended to use the firearm to enhance his reputation in the local area, police said.
There are about 3.22 deaths due to gun-related injuries per 1 lakh people in India every year. Around 90% of them are committed to using an “illegal firearm”. A couple of years back the country recorded 9,706 deaths that were committed using a firearm. Among this 1,117 were women.
(With inputs from ENS, Agencies)
