Police officer accidently shoots street vendor while cleaning gun: Victim was stood in the street across fr

PSI P.H. Makwana of the Nana Varachha Dhal Police Outpost, under Kapodra Police Station, was reportedly cleaning his service revolver while sitting inside the outpost when the trigger was accidentally pressed. The bullet pierced a 20-litre water jug inside the outpost before hitting 45-year-old Arvind Ambu Patel , who was standing across the road.

Patel suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of his abdomen, around five inches below his heart. He was rushed to a private hospital in a profusely bleeding condition, where his condition is reportedly critical. Patel earns his living by selling clothes from a street cart near the police outpost.

DCP Alok Kumar told Bhaskar that the PSI was sitting at a table on the left side of the outpost entrance, with his chair slightly angled towards the door. According to the DCP, Makwana was holding the pistol in his right hand. Because of the position of his hand, there was an open path towards the door.

The bullet travelled through the 20-litre Milton water jug, exited through the open door and struck Patel, who was standing around 40 metres (130 feet) away.

After passing through Patel's body, the bullet travelled another 20 metres (66 feet) before coming to rest. It therefore covered a total distance of around 60 metres (196 feet) from inside the outpost.