COP SHOOTS HIMSELF WHILE CLEANING PISTOL IN VAN, CRITICAL

NEWDELHI: A Delhi Police assistant sub-inspector allegedly shot himself by accident in the chest while cleaning his service pistol in north-west Delhi’s Bhalswa Dairy on Thursday morning. ASI Dharam Veer, 56, is currently battling for life at Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, the police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (north-west) Aslam Khan said the incident took place around 7am when Veer was cleaning the weapon inside a PCR van. “The officer and a constable were on night duty and their shift was about to get over soon. They were both manning the PCR van stationed at a halting point in the area. The constable went to relieve himself nearby as Veer engaged himself in cleaning the pistol,” Khan said.

She added that while cleaning the pistol, the ASI accidentally pulled the trigger and the bullet pierced his chest. “The constable who was close by, heard the gun shot and rushed to his colleague only to find him lying injured inside the van,” said Khan. Special CP ( women safety, airport and modernisation) Sanjay Beniwal said a proper drill has to be followed while cleaning weapons and a cop is not allowed to carry it out inside the van.

The constable who made a PCR call and a police team reached there. Veer was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital and was then referred to Max.

Police said while no vital organ was punctured, doctors have told them that the injured cop is critical and is in the intensive care unit.

The police are waiting for the doctors to declare Veer fit for statement after which they will try to find exactly what went wrong. “All policemen are trained to handle weapons including how to clean them. officer’s negligence led to his injury. We will probe this further,” said DCP (PCR) Devender Arya.

Veer had joined the police as a constable two decades ago.

Police said the possibility of it being a suicide attempt was bleak.

SPECIAL CP SANJAY BENIWAL SAID A PROPER DRILL HAS TO BE FOLLOWED WHILE CLEANING WEAPONS AND A COP IS NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY IT OUT INSIDE THE VAN