Ex-soldier arrested for accidentally shooting friend dead

A 36-year-old ex-soldier was arrested on charges of murder after he accidentally opened fire at a friend and killed him while trying to demonstrate how to handle weapons safely, police said on Monday.

The incident happened in Ghumanhera village of Chhawla area on the outskirts of the city.

Charan Singh was arrested soon after Sidharth was shot dead on Sunday night.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Surender Kumar said that Charan Singh went out of his residence after dinner and joined two of his friends taking a stroll. They later joined by two more friends - Sidharth, who worked as a milkman and Ram Avatar, a retired Border Security Force trooper.

Singh later took out his licensed pistol and showed it to them. He was teaching them what precautions to take while handling a weapon, when he accidentally fired at Sidharth, police said.

"All the five persons were friends. Charan Singh initially fired once in the air but when he fired the second time, the bullet hit Sidharth in the chest. He was rushed to near by hospital where he was declared dead," said Kumar.

Singh had retired from the Kumaon Regiment in 2014, police said.

--IANS

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