Representative image of a dead body.
Credit: iStock Photo
Hoshiarpur (Punjab): A 56-year-old home guard died following accidental discharge of his service rifle while cleaning it during duty at the election office warehouse where EVMs are stored at the District Administrative Complex, police said on Tuesday.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Gazalpreet Kaur said preliminary investigations revealed that Kamaljit Singh was cleaning his .303 service rifle when the weapon, possibly not set to safety mode, accidentally discharged.
The bullet pierced Singh's chin and exited through his head, killing him on the spot, the officer said.
His son, who was present at the spot, told the police his father had been unwell for some time and that he accompanied him to duty every day.
Further investigations are underway, Kaur said.