Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 7 Dec: In a bizarre incident, a woman identified as Yara Lombi Ete (45) was reportedly shot at by one Bamang Tasu during a Christian prayer programme at Dego village in West Siang district last Saturday, at around 10 pm.
The police in Aalo informed that Ete sustained bullet injury in her stomach, and that she was immediately evacuated to Itanagar for further treatment. Her condition is reportedly stable.
The police said that the incident occurred when the victim and her husband, Gumar Ete, who is a pastor, were called for a prayer at Tasu’s residence. Tasu claimed that he was firing a blank to ward off evil before the prayer started, and that the bullet accidentally hit Yara Lombi Ete, who was coming to his residence.
“The accused was subsequently apprehended from place of occurrence. The weapon of offence, which is a .32 revolver, along with one fired empty cartridge and eight live rounds were seized from the house of the accused. One bloodstained galey was also seized from the place,” the police added.
The Aalo police further informed that two witnesses have been examined and their statements recorded. A case (u/s 336/307/326 IPC, r/w Section 27 Arms Act) has been registered on receipt of an FIR from one Gumto Ete, of Kugi Pomse village.
“The West Siang district police are investigating the actual cause of firing to unearth the truth, and the accused is currently in police custody,” it said.