Ghaziabad: Eight year old may lose an eye, bullet still lodged in head

Accused shot the 8-year-old boy on the pretext of clicking a selfie

The eight year old boy who was shot in Ghaziabad on Monday may lose sight in the right eye permanently. Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital officials said the bullet is still lodged in his head and will take some time to be removed.

Junaid was shot in the head on Monday after he refused to fetch a pack of cigarettes for his neighbour Kala. (Sakib Ali/HT PHOTO)

Junaid was shot in the head on Monday after he refused to fetch a pack of cigarettes for his neighbour Kala. Later, Kala called him on the pretext of clicking a selfie but shot him with a countrymade gun.

“The boy has been operated upon and he may lose sight in the right eye, permanently. The bullet hasn’t been removed as, for now, it may lead to complications. The boy is, however, stable,” said Dr Sunil Kumar, chief medical superintendent, GTB Hospital.

Kale was arrested on Monday after locals from Duhiya Peepal locality nabbed him. Junaid’s maternal grandfather, Nizamuddin, also forwarded a police complaint on which an FIR for attempt to murder was lodged against the accused at Masuri police station.

“Kale told investigators that the gun went off accidentally. He was drunk at the time of the crime. We have booked him and he will be produced before a court,” said Atish Kumar Singh, circle officer (Masuri).

Nizamuddin told Hindustan Times on Monday that Kale called Junaid for clicking a selfie and pointed a mobile phone towards him and when the boy settled down, he shot him.

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“Kale was angry since Junaid had refused to go and buy a pack of cigarette for him,” Nizamuddin said.

Eyewitness confirmed on Tuesday what Nizamuddin had said.

“I saw Kale holding the gun. Junaid was bleeding heavily and screaming. I rushed to the spot and saw Junaid in the arms of his maternal grandfather. I rushed him to local hospital but they referred him to GTB hospital,” said Javed, a relative of Junaid.

Junaid is fifth among six of his siblings and had skipped school on Monday due to Eid.