IMPHAL, October 29: A 71-year old, who was on his daily morning walk, was hit by a stray bullet around 6:20 this morning.
The injured is identified as Ningthoukhongjam Ibopishak Singh, 71, son of (L) N Anganghal Singh of Wangkhei Lourembam Leirak, a retd assistant engineer of the State Public Works Department.
The bullet hit him on his right thigh from the back and is lodged inside.
Ibopishak identified the exact spot of the incident to be about 15 metres towards Mahabali from Haokip Veng crossing.
Every morning in between, 5 and 5:30, he goes for his walk upto Minuthong and then return home, he said.
He continued that during his return journey, he takes a detour towards the under-construction Sangjenthong from where he passes through Haokip Veng and Hafta Kangjeibung before reaching home.
He was returning along his usual route this morning when he saw a white coloured Bolero Jeep coming from behind and sidetracked a little along the Mahabali roadside, thinking that the vehicle was about to turn back, he said.
However, the vehicle stopped at some distance, and as he turned and started to walk again, he heard a gun-shot and then felt a pang of pain on his right leg and on looking down saw blood, he said.
That was when he shouted he has been hit by a bullet and lost consciousness, however, people standing nearby rushed in and took him to the nearby Advance Hospital.
As the bullet didn’t hit his bones, he is said to be out of danger, however, the bullet is still lodged inside his body, sources said.
Family members said the bullet could have been fired from a .22 rifle and even though personnel of the Imphal East police are deployed in the vicinity they are unable to seek out the direction from which it has been fired.
They have also said that Ibopishak has no personal enmity and hasn’t received any monetary demand or threat.
The Porompat police have also taken up a case in this regard, whereas following advice of the doctors to take out the projectile after sometime, Ibopishak has been discharged from the hospital.