4-year-old dies as airgun misfires at Hyd farmhouse

Hyderabad, March 17:  Telangana police on Thursday detained two persons in connection with an incident in which a four-year-old girl died when an airgun misfired.

The incident occurred at Vavilala village in Jinnaram mandal of Sangareddy district near Hyderabad when few children were playing with the weapon.

Police have detained the owner of the farmhouse for negligence and 17-year-old son of a watchman's relative who had pressed the trigger while playing with the airgun.

In the accident that occurred on Tuesday but came to light late on Wednesday, a pellet from the air gun pierced through Shanvi's head. She was shifted to government-run Osmania Hospital where she succumbed while undergoing treatment.

The girl was the daughter of Nagaraju, working as watchman in the farmhouse owned by a man from Hyderabad. As different crops were being grown in the farmhouse, the owner had kept an airgun to scare away birds and animals damaging the crops.

Nagaraju and Sukanya, migrant workers from Nizamabad district, did not know that there were pellets in the airgun. Their daughter was playing with children Sukanya's sister when the incident occurred.

Police registered a case under section 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and took up further investigation.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Bheem Reddy said the two children of watchman and children of watchman's relative who had come to attend a local fair were playing with the airgun in the farmhouse.

Police said the incident occurred due to the negligence of the farmhouse's owner. Children used to take selfies and play with the weapon. On Tuesday when the group of children were playing, a 17-year-old boy picked up the gun and pressed the trigger. Shanvi came in front of the airgun and the pellet hit her in the head.