Chennai: A teenaged polytechnic student was killed after being shot in the head, allegedly by his close friend during a friendly chat in the latter’s house at Venkatamangalam, about 15 km from Sholinganallur close to the IT corridor on the OMR, police said.
They said three special teams have been formed to get the suspect Vijay, 19, a food delivery agent with an online app, as he fled with the gun he had allegedly used on Mukesh (18). The two had been close friends for long and Mukesh reportedly went to Vijay's house to spend some time there since his polytechnic was reopening classes after 10 days of holidays. “Mukesh had always been a good student and we are shocked at this tragedy. He was doing final year diploma in I.T.", said a close associate.
Police said Vijay's two brothers Ajith and Udhay, besides his sister-in-law, were present in the house when Mukesh dropped in shortly after 11 in the morning. The two friends were in relaxed conversation and the other members of Vijay's family were attending to their own jobs. Udhay was outside speaking over his mobile and then the sound of a gunshot shocked them.
Ajith and Udhay ran into the house to find Mukesh lying in a small pool of blood around his head. Vijay sped past the brothers and it appeared he was carrying a gun in a leather holster. Udhay called '108' ambulance and they rushed Mukesh to a private hospital at Vandalur, police said.
They said doctors at this hospital found Mukesh was in a critical condition and advised that he be taken to a larger institution, so Udhay and brother took him to another private hospital, where the boy was in the ICU for about an hour and thereafter rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi GH. But he died on the way to RGGH, police said.
Shaken by the youth's death by gunfire, the police are probing various angles for gaining some light on what kind of gun had been used by Vijay and his source of the weapon and its ammunition. "There have been reports of increased illegal activities including trafficking in drugs and other kinds of contraband in these areas. It is possible that Vijay got into this sort of activity and got a gun. He might have been showing off his new acquisition proudly to his friend, putting it dramatically on his head and pulled the trigger accidentally", said a source.
Police said the families of Vijay and Mukesh, besides their friends and neighbours, were being closely questioned for clues. Forensic experts have collected some samples to identity the gun and ammunition.
A wide hunt has been launched to locate Vijay, they said.
