Morena Tragedy: Landlord Arrested After Child Dies in Accidental Firing of Licensed Rifle

A seven-year-old boy was killed in a tragic firearms accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district, prompting police to arrest the licensed gun owner for what officials described as gross negligence in storing and handling his weapon.

Incident During Children’s Play

The incident occurred late Saturday night in Sanjay Nagar locality of Porsa town, police said. According to preliminary findings, the child was playing inside a room with the minor son of his landlord when a shot was suddenly fired from a licensed .315 bore rifle kept in the house.

The bullet struck the seven-year-old in the head, causing fatal injuries. He died at the spot before medical help could arrive. The victim was the son of a tenant living on the premises.

Police Action and Arrest

Local police rushed to the scene after receiving information about the incident and immediately secured the area. The firearm, registered in the name of the landlord Ravi alias Lokendra Tomar, was seized, and the licence holder was taken into custody for questioning.

A post-mortem examination later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound, officials said.

Safety Norms Violated, Say Police

During the investigation, police found multiple violations of mandatory firearm safety norms. Officials stated that the rifle had been kept loaded inside the house, the safety mechanism was not engaged, and the weapon was stored in a location easily accessible to children.

“These lapses created a dangerous situation and directly resulted in the firearm discharging while the children were playing,” a senior police officer involved in the investigation said.

Case Registered Under Culpable Homicide

Based on the findings, Porsa police registered a case under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code—culpable homicide not amounting to murder—against the licence holder for negligence. He was formally arrested, and the rifle has been sent for forensic and ballistic examination.

Police said further legal action will depend on the forensic reports and the final outcome of the investigation.

Wider Concerns Over Firearm Safety

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over firearm safety and compliance with licensing conditions, particularly in residential settings. Under Indian arms regulations, licensed weapons must be stored unloaded, secured with safety locks, and kept out of reach of unauthorised persons, especially minors.

Police officials said they would continue to sensitise firearm licence holders about safe storage practices to prevent such avoidable tragedies in the future.