DEHRADUN: A perilous "game of death" played by two second-year BSc (Agriculture) students from a Dehradun professional college has left one student critically injured after he was shot in the head while handling a pistol believed to be empty.
The student remains in serious condition in the hospital.
The injured student has been identified as Shashishekhar, originally from Jharkhand, while the friend who fired the shot is Shashiranjan, from Bihar. Both are roommates and students at the same institution.
According to police, the incident occurred in the Kotra Santaur area of Premnagar. Following the shooting, a group including Shashiranjan initially attempted to mislead the police, fabricating a story that the shooting was a case of attempted suicide stemming from a failed love affair. They also allegedly tried to hide the weapon.
SSP Ajay Singh told TNIE, "However, inconsistencies in the students' statements raised red flags for the police." A thorough probe, including scrutiny of call detail records and CCTV footage, further cast doubt on the initial narrative, prompting a deeper investigation.
"Initial reports attempted to portray this as a suicide attempt, but discrepancies in statements and technical evidence led us to believe otherwise," stated a police official involved in the investigation.
"Our sustained questioning eventually broke through the fabricated story."
Under intense interrogation, Shashiranjan reportedly confessed to the truth. He revealed that he and Shashishekhar were playing a dangerous game, pointing the pistol at each other and pulling the trigger, convinced the weapon was empty.
Shashiranjan admitted during interrogation that during the game, he had cocked the pistol and removed the magazine, not realizing a round was still chambered.
When he pulled the trigger, the fatal shot was fired, striking Shashishekhar in the head. Panicked, he hid the pistol and the shell casing before concocting the suicide story with others.
However, police investigators checking call records and CCTV found Shashiranjan hadn't left the room. The victim's breakup was also months earlier. The pistol's removed magazine further contradicted the narrative.
"There were significant discrepancies," a police source stated. Confronted with evidence Friday, Shashiranjan confessed, revealing the true events of Wednesday, abandoning the fabricated suicide plot.
Based on a complaint filed by Shashishekhar's family, police have registered a case against Shashiranjan under charges including attempt to murder. He was arrested on Saturday. The condition of Shashishekhar remains critical.