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.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
The bullet hit him on his right thigh from the back and is lodged inside.<\/p>\n
Ibopishak identified the exact spot of the incident to be about 15 metres towards Mahabali from Haokip Veng crossing.<\/p>\n
Every morning in between, 5 and 5:30, he goes for his walk upto Minuthong and then return home, he said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
As the bullet didn\u2019t hit his bones, he is said to be out of danger, however, the bullet is still lodged inside his body, sources said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
They have also said that Ibopishak has no personal enmity and hasn\u2019t received any monetary demand or threat.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n\n