Manipur minister’s bullet hit advocate general: chief minister

IMPHAL - Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh Sunday admitted that a bullet that pierced the chest of state Advocate General N. Koteshor was fired accidentally from a licensed weapon of a minister.

Koteshor was critically injured Saturday night when a bullet hit his chest while returning to capital Imphal after attending a function in the adjoining Ukhrul district.

The accident took place near Lidan, 30 km east of Imphal.

“Two ministers were travelling in the same convoy and it was an accidental firing from one of the minister’s licensed weapons,” the chief minister told journalists after visiting Koteshor in the hospital.

Doctors have since removed the bullet from his chest and the advocate general was stated to be out of danger.

“There is no need to find out from whose gun the bullet was fired,” a visibly irritated chief minister said.

The two ministers accompanying the advocate general were Public Words Department Minister K. Ranjit and Tribal Development Minister D.D. Thaisi.

No police report was lodged by Koteshor’s family members.