Man killed filming himself with gun

A man's craze for social media proved fatal as he lost his life while shooting a short video. A 28-year-old property dealer was play-acting to shoot himself with a loaded gun while his cousin was shooting the video, when the man accidentally shot himself. The bullet pierced his chest while his cousin was recording the video.

Police said the deceased has been identified as Pawan Kumar, a property dealer who lived in Dallupura village in east Delhi. Pawan was using a licensed pistol belonging to his cousin Himanshu. He hadn’t handled a weapon before, police said.The incident was reported on March 16 after information about a medico-legal case of a gunshot injury was received at the New Ashok Nagar police station from the Dharamshila Hospital in Vasundhara Enclave, police added. 

Doctors tried their best to save him but could not. They declared Pawan dead during treatment,  police said.  The entire incident was captured on camera, police said, adding Himanshu who was recording the video appeared unaware of Pawan’s intentions.

In the video, which has gone viral on social media, Pawan can be seen inserting a magazine into the pistol and loading the weapon, while Himanshu can be heard advising him on handling the firearm and cautioning him against firing it.

Moments later, Pawan is seen placing the pistol against the left side of his chest, briefly looks towards the camera and pulls the trigger, collapsing on the ground as a shocked Himanshu is heard saying, “Ye kya kar diya tune (what have you done)”? The weapon, along with 10 live cartridges, has been seized and sent for forensic examination, police said.

The mobile phone used by Himanshu to record the video has been taken into possession by the East District Crime Team, they said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police have registered a case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Arms Act at the New Ashok Nagar police station. Further investigation is underway, a senior police official tasked with the investigation said.