A shot fired accidentally from a contractor’s pistol killed an engineer engaged by a private construction firm in Aizawl on Friday night.
According to a delayed report reaching here, engineer Nitin Nayak caught a bullet in his forehead and died in a roadside eatery near Thenzawl, 22 km from Aizawl.
Local police officers said Nayak, a contractor named Paul Zothanpuia John and other workers had in the day visited the Maicham Hydel Project site nearby. On their way back to state capital Aizawl, they stopped over at the eatery.
While they were having dinner, John’s gun fell from his pocket. The firearm hit the floor muzzle up, and the impact triggered it. The bullet hit Nayak sitting across the table.
“The engineer died on the spot. His body was sent to Aizawl on Saturday evening for an autopsy,” said a police officer. “We arrested John who was later released on bail.”
A case has been filed against John.