Patna, Jan. 29: A havildar posted with the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Patna died in an accidental firing on the premises of the Bihar Military Police-02 (BMP-02) camp at Dehri-on-Sone in Rohtas district today.

A loaded rifle suddenly went off and the bullet hit Bharat Singh, 40, when a constable, Satyendra Singh, was cleaning his firearm after completing his firing practice in the firing range of the BMP-02 at Dehri-on-Sone.

The injured havildar was referred to the Varanasi hospital for treatment He, however, died on way to the hospital.

Rohtas superintendent of police Vikas Vaibhav said that the deceased havildar was a resident of Garhwal in Uttarakhand. “The constable in question has been taken into custody and a case has been registered against him,” he said, adding that the laxity on the part of the constable was being probed.

The SP said that normally cartridges are taken out from the rifle before cleaning. “Under what circumstances, the firearm went off is subject to investigation,” he said.

The family members of the deceased havildar have already been informed about the incident.

“The body will be handed over to the family after postmortem examination,” the SP said, adding that a group of GRP personnel from Patna had come to Dehri-on-Sone for firing practice.

Police has seized the firearm allotted to the constable.