A 14-year-old schoolboy was struck in his right leg when a single-shot gun he was allegedly carrying went off accidentally on Monday night.

Debasish Sen, a Class VII student of Metropolitan Institution in the Taltala area, was admitted to NRS Medical College and Hospital and is now recovering after a surgery.

After a preliminary investigation, police have started an attempt to murder case and slapped charges under the Arms Act on the boy.

“It seems the boy was carrying a single-shot in his pocket and accidentally the trigger got pulled and the bullet hit him in his leg. There is a scorching perforation in his pocket,” detective chief Jawed Shamim told Metro.

As Debasish was undergoing treatment in the hospital, the police have not been able to interrogate him.

In recent memory, this is the first time a 14-year-old boy has been charged under the Arms Act, said a senior police officer.

Since Debasish is in his teens, his case will be tried at the Juvenile Court in Salt Lake.

“A 14-year-old boy carrying a gun is a clear sign of aggressive and delinquent behaviour. Such trends are on the rise among teens and it’s indeed a matter of concern,” said psychologist Atashi Gupta.

According to her, the other important issue is from where the boy could have got the gun.

“We have started a detailed probe and hope to find the answers to some of these questions. We are also looking for the gun,” said a senior police officer. The sleuths have started gathering background information on Debasish.

Second among three siblings, Debasish was admitted to a Sarsuna-based boarding school along with his elder brother — a Class IX student — by his parents.

The police have learnt that last year he was pulled out of the boarding school after his parents learnt that he was not concentrating on his studies and got him admitted to the Taltala school.

The boy’s parents, however, have denied the charges against their son and told the police that Debasish was shot at by a group of youths when he went out last night.

“Late on Sunday night my brother-in-law told my wife that Debasish was lying in a field near our house. She rushed out to find he was cringing in pain with blood oozing from his leg. We immediately took him to NRS Medical College,” said Panchu Gopal Sen, Debasish’s father.

The small-time electrical goods trader in Muchipara said all that his son could murmur was that he had gone out to watch a procession of Sitala puja near Moulali when he heard a gunshot and saw blood oozing out of his leg.

The police, however, have got another version.

“His mother has told us that Debasish was hit by a bullet near SN Banerjee Road around 10.30 last night when he approached three youths who were fighting among themselves,” said an officer of Muchipara police station

His mother also told the cops that as her son could murmur the address, the youths brought him to the Muchipara area and dumped him in a field near the family’s house at 10/H/7 Shashi Bhushan Dey Street.

“The boy seems to be fabricating the stories. The nature of the injury suggests it was self-inflicted,” said detective chief Shamim.