Class 8 student gunned down in Lucknow

In a shocking incident, a student of Class 8 was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen late Wednesday, police said. The gunmen barged into a house in Indiranagar and shot Maaz Ahmad three times, hitting him in the chest and shoulder.

The boy was rushed to a trauma centre, where he was declared dead.

Prima facie, police said this appeared to be a case of either mistaken identity or some family animosity. The 14-year-old Maaz lived with his two brothers, Faizan and Arzaan, at the house of his aunt Husna Bano at Faridinagar in Indiranagar. He was watching TV with the family when the gunmen knocked at the door.

As Faizan opened the door, the two men forced their entry into the house and sprayed Maaz with bullets. The shocked family was only able to come to its senses and raise an alarm after the gunmen made away.

Husna Bano told policemen that quite likely, her sons Nadeem and Adeeb were the real targets of the deadly attack; her nephew was probably shot by mistake.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) J. Ravender Gaur told IANS: "This appears like a case of mistaken identity. Killing such a young boy defies logic." He added, however, that police were investigating all angles.

A team of the crime branch has been put on the case, and a breakthrough is expected soon, Gaur said.

The deceased hailed from Allahabad. He had been living with his aunt for 10 years. Police has upped security in the area, and a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits.