Deputy superintendent of police Yogesh Kumar Sharma, 55, died after his service weapon accidentally discharged at his official residence in the Phagwara police quarters on Tuesday morning.
The Kapurthala police termed the incident an accidental shooting that occurred while the officer was cleaning his revolver in preparation to return it to the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) following his recent transfer to the Bureau of Investigation (BoI) in Chandigarh.
Phagwara superintendent of police Madhvi Sharma said the incident took place around 7:30am while the officer was at home with his mother. According to the family, Sharma had just returned from dropping his daughter at school and began cleaning the weapon when a bullet discharged, piercing his chest.
Fellow officers residing in the colony heard the gunshot and rushed Sharma to the civil hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The SP ruled out the possibility of suicide, noting that the family reported no signs of depression or mental distress.
The victim’s father, Ram Saroop Sharma, was away from the residence delivering a car to his daughter-in-law, who lived separately, when the shooting occurred.
The police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and are recording statements from family members. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to be conducted by a board of doctors.
