Jammu:
Two persons were seriously injured when a domestic help of a woman police constable fired from an AK-47 rifle which he had stolen from the house of his employer, police said today.
The incident took place late last night when 14-year-old Ashfaq, resident of Gool in Reasi district, working as domestic help in the woman constable's house ran away with a loaded AK-47 rifle of her brother, also a police constable, Station House Officer Ajaz Ahmed told PTI.
The cop's brother is a personal security officer of a Congress leader and had come to meet his sister at her house.
Ashfaq stole the loaded service rifle when the brother had gone to the washroom, Mr Ahmed said.
"When we were informed about the theft, a manhunt was launched to arrest the accused," the SHO said, adding, when the accused saw the police team coming, he opened fire at them.
Constable Mohammed Riyaz was injured in the firing after three bullets hit him, he said.
The accused also fired at a local resident, injuring him, the SHO said.
According to Mr Ahmed, when the police fired back, Ashfaq abandoned the weapon and tried to flee from the area but was nabbed by the police.
"The injured were rushed to a government medical college and hospital in Jammu where their condition is stated to be critical," he said.
"A case has been registered and investigations are on to know the motive behind the incident," SSP Jammu Uttam Chand said.
Panic gripped the locality after several gunshots were heard by the residents, who feared it to be a terrorist attack.