Samajwadi Party workers were reportedly celebrating the victory of a candidate in local body elections when the incident occurred.
Highlights
- Alleged celebratory firing by Samajwadi Party workers kills 9-year old
- Boy shot in the chest while passing on a rickshaw with his mother
- A video shows men, allegedly SP workers, firing shots; no arrests so far
A nine-year-old boy was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday when workers of the ruling Samajwadi Party were allegedly firing shots in the air to celebrate a local election victory.
The police were allegedly present when a large crowd of Samajwadi Party workers fired shots for around half an hour in the Shamli district.
The boy, Harsh, was passing on a rickshaw with his mother when he was shot in the chest.
He was taken to the hospital, where he died.
Harsh's relatives took his body and sat in protest on a highway, blocking traffic for hours in that part of western Uttar Pradesh.
Three people have been detained and investigation is underway, Superintendent of Police Vijay Bhushan today said.
A video of the firing shows men, allegedly Samajwadi workers, walking on the road with rifles, firing shots, clapping and dancing, facing no restrictions.