Boy shot by cops, claims family; police say he was caught in

A minor tribal boy is being treated for bullet injury which his family claimed he suffered when he was shot by police in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.
However, a top police official said the boy, admitted to a hospital, may have been caught in the crossfire between security forces and Naxals in the insurgency-hit district, and sustained the injury.
The 11-year-old boy, Boti Markam, is undergoing treatment for injury to his thigh.
"Boti Markam, a resident of Karka village, has sustained bullet injury. He is being treated in the Government Hospital at Jagdalpur (in Bastar district)," Deputy Inspector General of Police (south Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Once he recovers and is fit enough to speak, his statement would be recorded for further needful action, the IPS officer said.
The DIG said the boy may have got injured after being caught in the crossfire during an encounter between security forces and ultras in Karka last week.

"We are investigating the matter. But it is for sure security forces never intentionallyharm any civilian," he added.
The parents of Markam had told reporters after he was admitted to a hospital in Dantewada yesterday that police fired at him when he was grazing cattle in forests.
On January 6,Markam, along with another boy of the village, had gone to forests located on the village's outskirtsto graze cattlewhen police personnel arrived there, his father told local reporters.

After police personnel allegedly fired at them, the two fled from there. While trying to escape, Markam sustained bullet injury on his left thigh, he said.
According to his father, his son was next day brought to Bacheli (in Dantewada) on a makeshift wooden stretcher by his relatives and admitted at a local hospital.
The family has not lodged a police complaint in his regard, he said.
Markam was shifted to the Jagdalpur hospital last night.
Notably, on January 6, a Naxal was gunned down in an encounter with a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and CoBRA (commando battalion for resolute action) in forests between Karka and Dugalpara under Gangaloor police station limits.

Police suspect the boy may have received the injury in the same exchange of fire.