MUSCAT, Jul 13 (Times of Oman): An “accidental killing” has been reported from Ibri’s Al Dareez village last Thursday when a 10-year-old boy, who was playing with his cousin’s gun, shot his five-year-old brother.

The mishap occurred when the cousin came back from a hunting trip and had “mistakenly” kept his gun within the reach of the boy. He went to take a bath when the boy picked up the weapon “out of curiosity”. He was playfully trying to frighten his brothers and sisters with the gun when the “accident” happened. Reports say the child was threatening them and screaming: “I will kill you all”.

Family sources say that his brothers were pleading “please don’t kill us, we are your brothers”, when, unfortunately, he shot his five-year-old brother.

The bullet penetrated his body from the left of his stomach to the right. The family members heard the sound of the bullet and ran inside the house only to witness the bloody scene. They took the child to the closest hospital for immediate medical treatment but in vain. The boy died due to internal bleeding.

The mother of both the children involved in the mishap is in a state of shock. Investigations are underway by ROP to find out the details of the crime and the gun licence of the owner. The 10-year-old child is now in custody in the juvenile prison, the source said.