'I Want to be...': 5-Year-Old Brings Gun to Bihar School, His Reply Stuns Police Officials

In a surprising incident that occurred at St John Boarding School in Triveniganj in Bihar’s Supaul on Wednesday, a 5-year-old nursery student accidentally discharged a firearm on school premises. The young student, who is now in police custody, was found to have brought an illegal weapon from home in his school bag. The weapon was inadvertently fired, striking a third-grade student. Fortunately, the bullet did not cause serious injury; the third-grader escaped with no significant harm.

The injured student involved in the incident is reported to be in stable condition and out of immediate danger. Both the school administration and the police are conducting investigations to determine how the firearm was discharged and how it ended up in the child’s possession. The child’s father, Mukesh Yadav, remains at large.

Following the incident, the school principal attempted to contact him to inform him of the situation. Yadav reportedly abandoned his motorcycle and fled with an illegal pistol, which is currently the focus of a police search. He remains evading capture at this time.

Currently, the 5-year-old is being held in a safe area at the local police station. Despite the gravity of the incident, the child appears unaware of the severity of the situation, as he is seen idly swinging his legs on a chair. Authorities plan to present the child in juvenile court before his release.

After entering the room and observing the child for a while, he was asked what he wanted to become when he grew up. The innocent boy promptly responded, “Inspector.”

Experts suggest that children of this age can be influenced by violent scenes in movies, TV shows, or video games. The child may have attempted to emulate a heroic figure he admires, such as a character from a film or a violent cartoon, without fully understanding the consequences of his actions.

Mukesh Yadav, the father of the child involved in this case, has no prior criminal record. Despite his authoritative demeanour, the reasons behind his possession of illegal firearms remain unclear and are expected to emerge following his arrest. Meanwhile, the police have taken school director Santosh Kumar Jha into custody for questioning.

Such incidents are not unique to this region; similar cases have occurred globally. For instance, in January 2023, a troubling incident took place in Virginia, USA, where a 6-year-old fired a gun in a classroom, resulting in serious injuries to a school teacher.

Experts assert that this incident highlights the critical need for increased awareness regarding children’s safety and mental development. They emphasise the importance of parents and educators closely monitoring the content children are exposed to in their entertainment and education, to ensure the development of positive values.