'Accidental fire' from cop's gun hurts man

A Dhaka education board official was injured when a constable of Dhaka Metropolitan Police “accidentally fired” a shotgun in front of Westin hotel in the capital's Gulshan Thursday night.

Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury, secretary of Dhaka education board and secretary general of BCS General Education Association, was hit by pallets as he came out of the hotel around 10:00pm, Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station told The        Daily Star.

He was rushed to United Hospital, the OC said, adding that the victim was too far from the gun to be critically injured.

Bakar added that two constables of DMP's Public Order Management—Imran and Ashraful—were suspended for negligence.

The Gulshan Division of DMP has formed a three-member committee headed by an assistant commissioner to investigate the incident.

Imran and Ashraful had allegedly taken each other's weapons by mistake before going to Gulshan. Ashrfaul's shotgun was loaded while the other one was empty, Bakar said quoting the duo.

Casually handling the firearm, Imran pulled the trigger thinking it was unloaded, he added.

Mahbubur Rahman, chairman of the education board, said Shahedul was hit by 19 pallets when he was looking for an auto rickshaw on the street after attending a meeting in Westin.

Mahbubur, who visited Shahedul at the hospital, said he was out of danger.

Police officers visiting the hospital said they would ensure punishment for the misdeed.

BCS General Education Association, in a statement expressed concern over the matter.