A tragic incident unfolded in Gwalior's Tripti Nagar on Sunday when a 32-year-old woman was killed by a stray bullet fired during preparations for celebratory gunfire at her infant son's 'Chhathi' ceremony. Instead of informing the police, her husband and brother-in-law allegedly concealed the body in a deep freezer and planned to cremate her secretly at night, according to police.
The Incident
The ceremony was being held at the residence of Manoj Kushwah to celebrate the birth of his newborn son. Family members, relatives, and guests had gathered for the celebration. Between 10 am and 11 am, Manoj's younger brother, Yogesh Kushwah, was allegedly preparing for celebratory firing using a country-made pistol. While repeatedly loading and unloading the weapon, a shot accidentally discharged.
The bullet struck Jahnavi alias Jyoti Kushwah (32), the infant's mother, in the head as she sat nearby. She collapsed instantly and died before any medical help could be arranged, police said.
Concealment Attempt
Instead of alerting the authorities or taking the woman to a hospital, Manoj and Yogesh allegedly decided to hide the incident. They arranged a large deep freezer and placed Jyoti's body inside to prevent decomposition while planning her cremation without informing the police. To avoid suspicion, they told neighbors that Jyoti had died due to an illness.
However, the plan began to unravel late Sunday when a local resident grew suspicious and alerted Thatipur police. A police team reached the spot and recovered the woman's body from the house. By then, Manoj and Yogesh had fled after spotting police vehicles approaching, officials said.
Police Investigation
Police sent the body for postmortem and called a forensic team to inspect the house and collect evidence. Investigators are also searching for the illegal firearm allegedly used in the incident and trying to ascertain where it was procured from. A case has been registered against Manoj Kushwah and his younger brother Yogesh for allegedly concealing the death and attempting to dispose of the body without informing authorities.
The incident highlights the dangerous practice of celebratory gunfire, which often leads to tragic accidents. Authorities have urged the public to refrain from such acts and to immediately report any untoward incidents to the police.
