New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS) A 10-year-old boy was accidentally shot dead by his 12-year-old neighbour with a firearm while they were playing cop and thief in west Delhi, police said Monday.


Chandan, a Class 6 student, was shot dead Saturday night in Raghubir Nagar by his friend, police said.

Chandan's friend has been sent to an observation home and his father Ram Chander and another person have been arrested, police said.

Police said the children were playing on the ground floor of the building, in which their families lived on rent, when Chandan's friend picked up a home-made pistol lying in a bag and shot him during the course of their game.

The landlord of the house saw Chandan lying on the ground and informed his family. Chandan's parents rushed him to hospital.

"The doctors first thought it was a normal head injury but later found bullet marks on the head," said V. Renganathan, additional commissioner of police.

It was when Chandan succumbed to his injuries that police were informed and the investigation was launched.

Police said the boy who shot Chandan told his family members about the incident but they destroyed the evidence.

"When Chandan's family was at the hospital, his friend's father Ram Chander and his friend Mukesh washed the blood stains and threw away the pistol," said a police officer.

Ram Chander, who hails from Azamgarh, came to Delhi six months ago and was working with a dairy in Rajouri Garden area. "His friend Mukesh had come to his house and the pistol belongs to him. We are checking his previous records," the officer added.

"We have arrested Chander and Mukesh and the boy who fired the bullet has been apprehended and sent to an observation home," Renganathan added.