Police in Gujarat said that a celebratory gunshot left a woman dead on Wednesday in Surat district. The victim, 47-year-old Savitriben Vadgujar, succumbed to bullet injuries in Surat’s Varachha area during the early hours of Wednesday.
She was taken to a nearby government hospital soon after being shot, but could not survive. “The incident took place between 12.30 am and 1 am when the victim was standing at the balcony on the first floor of the building where she lived. She was watching the marriage procession passing by when some unidentified persons, who were part of the procession fired in celebration,” the official from Varachha police station was quoted by news agency PTI.
According to police, the random bullet had hit the victim in her face. The doctors at the hospital declared her brought dead. Cops are investigating the number of rounds being fired during the marriage procession. They have filed an FIR against unidentified persons under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and section 25 (1)(A) of the Arms Act.
The victim’s relative told regional TV channel TV9 that they had deposited the evidence related to the firing but the cops had insisted for second post mortem.
Last year, a question was raised before the Delhi High Court if groom and his family be held liable to compensate those killed or injured in ‘celebratory firing’ by their guests at a wedding?
There is nothing about guests being killed in India because of celebratory firing during marriage ceremonies or other functions.