HYDERABAD -Two students were killed and three others seriously injured when an SLR rifle accidentally misfired at the firearms exhibition here. The mishap occurred during the Police Commemoration Day celebrations in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, reports DNA.
The deceased been identified as P Venkata Krishna and Satyanarayana, who studied in Standard X and VIII respectively. The two kids died on the spot after the mishap.
Officials said that a CRPF jawan was handling the SLR that misfired. The parents, relatives and villagers, supported by all Opposition parties, staged protest at the exhibition demanding stringent action against the jawan and the officials responsible for organising the exhibition.
Former minister of Telugu Desam T Nageswara Rao questioned the police authorities as to what prompted the police to show a loaded revolver to the school children.
The Andhra Pradesh police have made it a practice over the last several years to show arms and ammunition to the youngsters on Police Commemoration Day every year. The cops also explain to the kids the details and workings of different weapons.
Director General of Police K Aravinda Rao said that CRPF constable had been booked on charge of murder (Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code) and suspended. The DGP, however, was reluctant to go into the details as to who had allowed the jawan to be present there with a loaded weapon.
