Tension gripped Banipur village in Murshidabad, West Bengal, after a primary school educator unleashed gunfire on schoolchildren enjoying outdoor sports near his house. The Friday incident injured one youngster, prompting swift police action and the teacher’s arrest.
Around noon, 10 to 12 boys were kicking footballs and hitting cricket balls on an open ground adjacent to Samir Kumar Mandal’s property. Irritated by the balls striking his walls, Mandal grabbed his air gun and fired multiple shots from his roof, according to witnesses.
Bullets whizzed dangerously close—some grazing ears, others flying over heads—until one hit a playing child. The boy fell, wailing, as neighbors hurried him to medical care. ‘He appeared out of nowhere on the roof, shooting wildly,’ said a shocked playmate.
Raghunathganj police detained the Umrapur Primary School staffer Friday evening. Mandal admitted to the act but insisted the shots were skyward. The victim’s family is furious, with the father slamming the educator’s recklessness and calling for severe punishment.
Forensic checks reveal an advanced air rifle was used; licensing details are under scrutiny amid family assertions of proper documentation from Kolkata. The probe delves into the teacher’s motives and possession laws, highlighting risks of unregulated firearms in villages.
Communities across Bengal are reeling, urging better oversight of educators and stricter arms regulations to prevent such tragedies.