Policeman dies after his service rifle goes off accidentally

A policeman, who was on special duty here in connection with the fourth day funeral ritual of former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was fatally injured, apparently after his service rifle went off accidentally, officials said on Monday.

A policeman, who was on special duty here in connection with the fourth day funeral ritual of former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was fatally injured, apparently after his service rifle went off accidentally, officials said on Monday.

Head constable Om Prakash was hit by a bullet from his own service rifle which went off accidentally inside district police lines (DPL) at Batmaloo on Sunday night. He later succumbed to injuries, the officials said.

They said the policeman was brought here from Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy at Udhampur for special duty in connection with the fourth day funeral ceremony of Sayeed.

The former chief minister had breathed his last at AIIMS in New Delhi on January 7 and was laid to rest in his hometown Bijbehara in Anantnag district of south Kashmir the same day.

Thousands of people attended the ‘fatah khawani’ (special prayers) on the ‘chaharum’ (fourth day after death) of Sayeed at his graveyard at Dara Shikoh Park on Sunday.