BHUBANESWAR: A female IT officer of Bank of India's Gandamunda branch in Khandagiri area here had a brush with death after the bank security guard's rifle accidentally fired, causing her bullet injury on Monday. Aditi Singh, the injured bank official, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here whereas police arrested the security guard Karunakar Sethi, 62.
Police ruled out any foul play behind the incident. "We probed the matter and came to know that it was an accidental firing. There was no deliberate attempt to open fire on the female officers of the bank. We arrested the security guard under sections 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt) of Indian Penal Code," deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said. Police recorded the statements of the eyewitnesses, who were colleagues of Singh. No visitor was present when the mishap occurred, police said.
The shocking incident occurred inside the bank around 10.10 am. Sethi with his service rifle in hand was cleaning the double barrel firearm when his finger came in contact with the trigger, leading to the fire. Singh, who sat close to the place where Sethi was cleaning his firearm, received two bullets on her right knee. She was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors described her condition as stable. Doctors operated on her and removed the bullets. "We inquired about her health. Doctors informed us she is out of danger," Bhoi said.
Sethi, a retired army jawan, said he had not locked the trigger. "It was my fault. I have been serving as the security guard here for last five years. I had never committed such a blunder," Sethi said at the police station.
Bank officials said Sethi should have unloaded bullets from the rifle. "We allow the security guard to use loaded firearm only during transportation of heavy cash in bank vehicle. On Saturday, he used the loaded gun. But he forgot to unload it. This is serious carelessness on his part. It could have been fatal," a bank official said. In September last year, an elderly person died after gun of a nationalised bank's security guard accidentally shot at Kenduapada in Salepur area of Cuttack district.
Police ruled out any foul play behind the incident. "We probed the matter and came to know that it was an accidental firing. There was no deliberate attempt to open fire on the female officers of the bank. We arrested the security guard under sections 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt) of Indian Penal Code," deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said. Police recorded the statements of the eyewitnesses, who were colleagues of Singh. No visitor was present when the mishap occurred, police said.
The shocking incident occurred inside the bank around 10.10 am. Sethi with his service rifle in hand was cleaning the double barrel firearm when his finger came in contact with the trigger, leading to the fire. Singh, who sat close to the place where Sethi was cleaning his firearm, received two bullets on her right knee. She was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors described her condition as stable. Doctors operated on her and removed the bullets. "We inquired about her health. Doctors informed us she is out of danger," Bhoi said.
Sethi, a retired army jawan, said he had not locked the trigger. "It was my fault. I have been serving as the security guard here for last five years. I had never committed such a blunder," Sethi said at the police station.
Bank officials said Sethi should have unloaded bullets from the rifle. "We allow the security guard to use loaded firearm only during transportation of heavy cash in bank vehicle. On Saturday, he used the loaded gun. But he forgot to unload it. This is serious carelessness on his part. It could have been fatal," a bank official said. In September last year, an elderly person died after gun of a nationalised bank's security guard accidentally shot at Kenduapada in Salepur area of Cuttack district.
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