Bullet from Pudukkottai firing range hits 11-year-old boy’s head, surgery successful

A 11-year-old boy sustained severe injuries on Thursday after a bullet was reportedly misfired from the Pasumalaipatti shooting range where the CISF personnel were undergoing a training programme. Pudukkottai District Collector Kavitha Ramu ordered that the range be shut temporarily and a probe by a special team headed by a DSP be carried out into the incident.

The boy, K Pugalendhi (11), son of Kalaiselvan-Palaniammal from Kothamangalathupatti near Narthamalai in Pudukkottai district had come down to visit his grandfather Muthu during the half-yearly holidays. On Thursday, the CISF personnel were on a shooting training programme at Pasumalaipatti Range which is 1 km away from Muthu’s house.

While the boy was playing in front of the house, two bullets struck, one hitting the house and the other Pugalendhi’s head. He fell down unconscious and was rushed to Keeranur GH from where he was again shifted to Pudukkottai Medical College. However, the doctors there, referred him to Thanjavur medical college. His condition is now stable. A top surgeon of the hospital said that the boy underwent surgery and the bullet has been removed from the cerebellum.

Pugalendhi’s family staged a road block on Narthamalai main road demanding that the firing range be closed down as it has been functioning without adhering to any safety measures. The police had to intervene and pacify the agitating relatives. Gandarvakottai MLA M Chinnadurai visited the boy in Thanjavur. A senior police officer said that an FIR has been registered in connection with the incident.