In an unfortunate incident in Aligarh, a police constable was killed and a sub-inspector was injured by a single bullet after a service weapon fired accidentally. The incident took place when a police team was carrying out a raid to nab cattle smugglers in a village bordering Bulandshahr district. The victim cop has been identified as Yakoob Khan, while sub-inspector Sub-Inspector Rajiv Kumar was injured.
As per Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjiv Suman, on 9th July, an incident of cattle smuggling took place, and the police were searching for the culprits. When police got information that the same smugglers were attempting another smuggling, the Special Operations Group (SOG) along with personnel from two police stations in the area reached the spot to nab them.
But during the operation at around 1 AM, the service pistol of Inspector Azhar Hussain jammed. When he could not unlock the weapon, sub-inspector Rajiv Kumar took it to try to unlock it. But when he was attempting to unlock the pistol, it discharged a round accidentally. The bullet went through Sub Inspector Rajiv Kumar’s stomach and hit the head of Constable Yakoob, who was nearby.
देररात्रि गोकशी के अभियुक्तों की तलाश में दबिश के दौरान पिस्टल फँस जाने पर उ0नि0 द्वारा अनलॉक करने के प्रयास में पिस्टल से अचानक गोली चल गई जो उ0नि0 को पेट से घायल करते हुए पास में खड़े मु0आ0 के सिर में जा लगी, उपचार के दौरान मु0आ0 की दुःखद मृत्यु हो गई है, #SSP_Aligarh की बाइट। pic.twitter.com/Yug1WGakAy
— ALIGARH POLICE (@aligarhpolice) July 18, 2024
Both the cops were taken to the hospital, but Yakoob was declared brought dead by the doctors. The doctors were able to save Rajiv Kumar’s life, but he remains in critical condition. He had multiple perforated wounds in his intestine.
After regaining consciousness following a surgery, SI Rajiv Kumar confirmed that the incident took place after his colleague gave him a jammed pistol to unlock. He said that the pistol fired accidentally and hit him, pierced through his stomach and then hit SOG constable Yakoob.
SSP Sanjiv Suman added that mortal remains of constable Yakoob was hander over to his family with full police honours. He also assured the family that all required help will be provided to them.
In the meanwhile, Yakoob Khan’s family are not trusting the police version.
The family of the deceased constable is still trying to wrap its head around the official explanation – the bullet pierced the SI's abdomen and hit constable Yakoob in the head. pic.twitter.com/QhlsBXGz6A
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 18, 2024
The victim’s father said they couldn’t understand how the bullet could hit Yakoob’s head after piercing through Rajiv Kumar’s stomach. The family is demanding a probe alleging it to be a case of murder.
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi also wondered what the body position of Yakoob was to get hit in the head by a bullet that went through Rajiv Kumar’s abdomen, saying “I am sure inquiry will be done.”’
