Ranchi, Sept. 19: A guard of the DAV School in Hehal here shot at a Class XI student today when the boy reportedly tried to enter without producing an identity card.

Doctors at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) described Ravish Prakash’s condition this evening as “very critical and serious”. The guard, Ram Shankar Singh, has fled.

The incident occurred when energy minister Lalchand Mahto was delivering a speech before the inaugural match of an intra-school basketball tourney.

Narrating the sequence of events, Ravish’s elder brother, Rajeev, said the boy, a member of the school cricket team, left for school at 8.30 am on a two-wheeler with two classmates to watch the match. The guard stopped them at the gate, saying they would not be allowed in without uniform.

“My brother had gone to the school without uniform as he was under the impression that today the dress was not required. But after the guard stopped him, all three returned home and put on the uniforms. They went back around 9.15 am. But Ravish was again turned away as he had forgotten to wear his school belt. He then went to the house of a friend who lives nearby, borrowed his belt and came to the gate,” Rajeev said. When Ravish tried to enter the school, this time in full uniform, the guard stopped him a third time and asked for his identity card.

“This irritated Ravish and he told the guard that the school management does not provide identity cards to the students. An argument ensued, and the infuriated guard fired two bullets from his double-barrel gun at my brother. The second bullet struck below the right side of Ravish’s chest, injuring him critically,” Rajeev said.

Ravish was rushed to the nearby Kesri Nursing Home in a school vehicle. But the doctor, Rambali Sinha, refused to admit him since his condition was critical. Ravish was given first-aid and taken to RIMS, 10 km from the school.

Witnesses said despite the firing, the game went on. “No one was told about the incident. When the minister was leaving, the blood near the gate was covered with sand,” a photographer covering the event said.

The deputy superintendent of police (rural) accompanying the minister had gone to the gate after the firing. “The police official saw a profusely-bleeding Ravish and the guard before he escaped,” Rajeev said. The Ratu police have lodged an FIR against the guard.

At RIMS, Ravish was moved to the intensive care unit after the bullet was extracted. An attending doctor said he had vomitted blood late in the evening, leading to fears of more splinters in his body.