10-year-old killed in celebratory firing

Lucknow, July 17 (IANS) A 10-year-old boy died in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly city in celebratory firing by a supporter of a newly-elected civic agency chairman, police said Tuesday. The killer has been arrested and action is being mulled against the local body official.

Five policemen have been suspended following the incident Monday.

A stray bullet fired during the oath-taking ceremony of the Nagar Panchayat members by an overzealous political supporter hit Mehtaab in the head, leading to his instant death.

Bareilly's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjeev Gupta told IANS that the incident happened at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Nagar Panchayat chairman Riyaz Ansari.

When the ceremony was drawing to a close, a supporter of Ansari suddenly began firing in the air in joy. A bullet hit the unsuspecting Mehtaab. He slumped on the ground and died, police said.

As the bullets were fired, the crowd ran for cover, eyewitnesses said.

The assailant was identified as Danish, who claimed his gun went off accidentally as he was loading bullets. Police said strict action would be taken against the culprit.

"The man has been arrested and the weapon recovered," Gupta told IANS.

Celebratory firing has become a menace in Uttar Pradesh, specially the central and western parts.

It is banned in Uttar Pradesh. But in the past four months alone, more than six people have died in celebratory firing at different places. These include three children.