KATHMANDU, APRIL 15

Nepal Police has arrested assistant constable Prakash Pun Magar who shot at Tirtha Mali Pun, 74, mother of influential CPN-Maoist Centre leader Barsha Man Pun, during a New Year party celebration at their residence in Baluwatar,Kathmandu, last night.

Assistant Constable Pun was deployed for security of the chief justice. He had joined the family gathering at Pun's brother's house after finishing his duty upon the latter's invitation.

The septuagenarian mother, who was shot in her leg at around 10:00pm, was rushed to Bir Hospital Trauma Centre where she is receiving treatment.

Apparently, Pun told the police it was a misfire and said that he did not intentionally shoot her. 'It looks like the Pun's weapon went off when he was trying to handle the bag after the party' said additional inspector general, head of Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari.

He said that the accused Pun and his counterparts who also happened to be son of Tirtha Mali and brother of Barsha Man were very drunk and that might have caused the accident.

Upon asking if it was right to carry a gun off duty, AIG defended Pun saying that it was his right to get hold of the gun even when he was not on duty. Pun had fled the scene after the incident and was arrested today morning from his hideout.

'We are investigating the case, and will take action against the erring cop if necessary,' Gyawali said.

A police source told THT that the case might not be as simple as stated since it was a mystery why he would take a loaded service gun to a party and that too without the security pin turned off.

Assistant constable Pun had run away from the site after the firing and was arrested later.

A version of this article appears in the print on April 16, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.