Patna: A four-year-old girl died after being hit by a stray bullet during celebratory firing at a wedding ceremony in Ashrapur village under the Dhanarua police station area in Patna district in the early hours of Tuesday. She succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital.The incident took place around 4.30am at Chhatti Panchayat when preparations were under way for the wedding of Sachidanand alias Sachchu Prasad’s daughter. According to police, a boy fired shots from the rooftop of a house as part of the celebrations. One of the bullets struck the girl in the stomach.The child, Somya Kumari, daughter of one Pintu Prasad of Doman Bigha village, had come to attend the wedding with her mother. She was rushed to hospital in critical condition but could not survive.Masaurhi sub-divisional police officer II Kanhaiya Singh said a forensic science laboratory team was called for scientific investigation. He assured strict action against those involved and termed it a clear case of celebratory firing. “Further legal action is being taken as per the law,” he said, adding that efforts were on to arrest the accused at the earliest.Dhanarua police station in-charge Amit Kumar said an FIR has been registered against five named accused, all of whom are absconding. “The accused, who fired celebratory shots, fled the scene soon after the incident with the firearm. Four other family members are also absconding,” he said, adding the girl’s body was sent for post-mortem examination.The incident comes close on the heels of the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ravi Kumar, who was killed in celebratory firing at a wedding in the Fatuha police station area of Patna on April 27. Two accused were detained in that case.
