8yo boy hit by bullet ‘fired by 14yo’ during celebratory fire, critical

Meerut: An eight-year-old boy was critically injured after a bullet hit him in the head during celebratory firing at a wedding ceremony in Bulandshahr. Police said that preliminary investigation indicated that shots were fired from a licenced weapon by a 14-year-old boy who was with the ‘baratis'. "Rehansh, 8, has been shifted to a medical facility in Noida. His health condition is critical. He underwent a major surgery. We are waiting for a formal complaint. An FIR will be registered, and a process to cancel the arms licence would be initiated," Bulandshahr city's circle officer, Prakhar Pandey, said on Friday.The incident took place in the city's Sarraf Bazar area on Thursday night. According to an eyewitness who runs a shop, Rehansh was standing in the courtyard when he suddenly collapsed. Doctors at the city hospital immediately referred him to Noida, he added."People were dancing with excitement when we heard the sound of gunshots. We were later shocked to know that the weapon was in the hands of a teen," another man said. "Initially, people thought it was part of the celebration, but then some of them started shouting that a boy had been hit. Soon, it became chaotic. A happy wedding celebration sight had turned into a nightmare," he added.Local residents further said that the wedding was later called off and "some of the family members have gone into hiding after the incident".