Fatal ‘celebratory’ firing: 27-year-old man shot dead by brother during New Year party in Odisha
ROURKELA: A 27-year-old man was shot dead by his brother on the banks of Koel river at Teterkela within Bisra police limits in Sundargarh district on Monday night. Police said accused Umesh Singh (30) fatally shot his younger brother Kshiradhar Singh alias Surya reportedly in an inebriated condition during a New Year party. Deputy SP of Zone-II AK Pradhan said Surya, Umesh and two other persons were partying in an asbestos house near Teterkela Balughat.
At around 8.30 pm on Monday, gunshots were heard from the house. The accused fired several rounds of which one bullet pierced the chest of Surya. He was rushed to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) but succumbed to the gunshot injury. Pradhan said there was no clarity on the circumstances leading to the firing incident. One of the youths had brought the firearm to the party. In an inebriated condition, he fired one round in the air. Subsequently, Umesh took the gun and shot his brother. At least four rounds were fired during the incident.
“Umesh and one Bharat Mahato were detained, but they could not provide any satisfactory reason. Police are on the lookout for the youth who owned the gun and fled with it after Surya’s death,” the DSP added. Police said it is suspected that celebratory gunfire led to the incident. It is also possible that the accused opened fire due to sudden provocation after a fight with his brother. Further investigation is underway. Unofficial sources said before the incident, there was a fierce quarrel between the two brothers over the sharing of money in sand mining carried out for Balughat contractor Bharat Mahato.
Earlier on December 30, one Sunil Sa (35) opened fire at his cousin Basudev Sa (38) from a scattergun following a fight at Patkijor village within Kinjirkela police limits in Sundargarh. Kinjirkela IIC Ajay Jena said the accused was produced in court on Tuesday while injured Basudev is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Cuttack.