Alipurduar: An accidental gunfire incident at the South Raidak Range office of Buxa Tiger Reserve (East) left a Forest department’s driver seriously injured on Sunday morning.
According to officials, the mishap occurred during routine firearm maintenance. On holidays, staff members clean and service departmental weapons. While cleaning a shotgun, a bullet was accidentally discharged.
At that moment, Forest department driver Sushanta Majumdar was entering the range office and was struck by multiple pellets in his left arm, just below the elbow. Colleagues immediately rushed Majumdar to Alipurduar District Hospital, where doctors performed surgery and removed the pellets. His condition is now reported to be stable.
Deputy Field Director of Buxa Tiger Reserve (East Division), Debashis Sharma, visited the site shortly after the incident and later confirmed the driver’s condition. “A minor surgery was carried out, the pellets have been removed, and he is now stable,” Sharma said.
The incident created tension in the range office, as accidental gunfire cases are rare within the Forest department.
Officials are reviewing safety protocols to prevent such mishaps in the future.