UP man killed in firing incident during birthday celebrations at Samajwadi Party MLC's residence

A person was killed in a firing incident during the birthday celebrations of a man at the official residence of a Samajwadi Party MLC in the Hazratganj Kotwali area here, police said on Saturday.

During the birthday celebrations of Vinay Yadav at the government-allotted residence of SP MLC Amit Yadav on Friday night, Rakesh Rawat of Barabanki district suffered gunshot injuries, Deputy Commissioner of Police Somen Burma said.

He was rushed to a trauma centre where he succumbed to injuries, Burma said.

Four persons were taken into custody in connection with the incident and their interrogation is on, police said.

They said Pankaj Singh told them that Rawat suffered gunshot injuries when a pistol went off accidentally.

However, during the preliminary investigation, the four taken into custody said Rawat had brought the pistol along with him and had given it to another youth, Vinay, who was checking it when it accidentally went off, police said.

But during the detailed investigation, it was found that the pistol belonged to Pankaj Singh and it went off during a playful scuffle between friends who had consumed beer, they said.

Police said they have recovered the pistol along with cartridges. An FIR in the case is being lodged, they said.

The incident took place in the government colony where houses are allotted to legislators, officers and journalists.