An 18-year-old man has been arrested after his mother was fatally shot while he was allegedly handling an illegal firearm at their home in southeast Delhi’s Jungpura area, police said on Tuesday.

The victim, identified as Sumati, 37, sustained a gunshot injury to the face and was taken to Moolchand Hospital, where she was declared dead. Police said a PCR call was received at around 10.40 am on Monday informing them that a woman with a gunshot wound had been brought to the hospital.

Preliminary inquiry identified her son, Tarun, as the accused. According to police, he had allegedly procured a country-made pistol from an unidentified person in the Ashram area. While he was showing the weapon to his mother, it discharged and the bullet struck her.

The accused fled the scene after the incident but was later apprehended following a search operation. During interrogation, he led police to a nearby drain where he had disposed of the firearm, which was subsequently recovered.

A crime team visited the scene to collect forensic evidence. A case has been registered under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Arms Act.

Police said efforts are under way to identify and arrest the supplier of the illegal firearm.

Sumati, a domestic worker, is survived by her husband, a daily-wage gardener, and their three children, including an 11-year-old daughter.

Inputs from The Tribune

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