3 killed after cannon shell lands on roof of civilian house in Bihar: Police

In a tragic incident, three members of a family were killed, and three others were injured after a cannon shot hit a civilian house on Wednesday morning, officials said. The condition of the injured is said to be critical.

 The incident took place in Bihar's Gaya district when the victims and their neighbors were playing Holi at around 8 am in Gularved village. Police said the security personnel practiced firing on the ground, which was said to be unbarred. One of the cannonballs fell on the house, killing three members of the family.

Barachatti Police Station SHO Ram Lakhan Pandit said Govinda Manjhi and Suraj Kumar died on the spot, while Kanchan Kumari died on the way to the hospital. “Preliminary investigation indicated that the distance between the village and the shooting range is said to be 400 meters. If security personnel arrived at the shooting range, they should have first informed the local administration and obtained NOC. But today's incident indicates that there were lapses on the part of the security personnel,” the official said, adding that an inquiry would be conducted after the formation of a committee.

 After the incident, angry villagers protested against the administration. It is said that due to not being barricaded by the security personnel, all the villages are getting into the firing range. A cannonball will often fall out of range into a village.