12-year old boy dies after ‘accidental’ gunshot in car

A 12-year-old boy was killed after being allegedly struck in the face by an accidental gunshot inside a parked car near Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Sunday, with police investigating how a licensed pistol came to be inside the vehicle and who was responsible for the fatal lapse. The victim, identified as Abdul Raqeeb, son of Muhammad Mohsin, was rushed to a private hospital on Stadium Road in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries after remaining under treatment for several hours. Raqeeb was a resident of Absara Apartment III in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 16 and a sixth-grade student. He was the youngest of four siblings. According to police, the incident occurred inside an electric vehicle parked at the apartment. Four boys, including the son of the vehicle owner, were reportedly inside the car when the pistol allegedly went off accidentally, critically injuring Raqeeb. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aziz Bhatti Police Station Syed Abu Talha Umrao said the vehicle belonged to Burhan, a car showroom owner and resident of another block of the same apartment complex. A licensed pistol belonging to him was reportedly inside the vehicle. Police said Burhan’s son Ahmed and three of his friends, all residents of the apartment and around the same age, were inside the car when the gun allegedly discharged. Following the incident, police seized the pistol and its licence and summoned the crime scene unit to collect forensic evidence. Police were also obtaining CCTV footage from the apartment to establish the sequence of events. The police were recording the statement of the boy allegedly involved in the shooting and examining his birth certificate and other documents to determine his exact age. Investigators were also looking into whether the weapon was routinely kept inside the vehicle and who had possession of the car keys at the time, as part of an inquiry into possible negligence. DSP Umrao said police were examining the case from multiple angles before determining responsibility for the incident.