Outrage spread through Murshidabad district after a schoolteacher allegedly shot at neighborhood kids with an air gun during their playtime, wounding one severely. The perpetrator, identified as Samir Kumar Mandal, faces charges following his detention by local police.
In Banipur’s expansive playfield neighboring Mandal’s abode, children routinely gathered for cricket and soccer matches. On Friday afternoon, errant balls pelted his exterior one too many times, triggering a violent outburst. From his rooftop, Mandal unleashed a barrage of five to six shots.
The pellets created pandemonium, zipping past ears and scalps before striking a young victim who collapsed in agony. Onlookers sprang into action, ferrying the injured to healthcare facilities. ‘We saw him aiming and firing right at us,’ a peer shared with media.
Raghunathganj officers secured the scene and took the Umrapur school employee into custody that evening. While confessing, Mandal maintained he targeted the sky, baffled by the mishap. The father’s anguish echoed widely: ‘How does a teacher shoot at children? Justice must prevail.’
Examination of the advanced air weapon is underway, probing license validity against the family’s insistence on legitimate acquisition from Kolkata. Broader inquiries address how such tools end up in private hands.
This flare-up in Bengal’s countryside spotlights urgent needs for firearm curbs and professional standards among educators, ensuring kids’ safe havens remain protected.