Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 26

A 16-year-old boy died after sustaining a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound from a licensed firearm in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday, police said.

The incident occurred in Anwarabad Salkoot village, where the teenager was found with a gunshot injury to the head under circumstances that remain under investigation.

Police identified the deceased as Fahad Bhat, the son of Faizul Islam.

According to investigators, the boy allegedly used a licensed pistol before family members rushed him to the Sub-District Hospital in Kupwara.

Doctors referred him to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar for specialised treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Authorities have registered a criminal case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Arms Act as part of the mandatory legal procedure accompanying the investigation.

Police said officers were examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the minor gained access to the licensed weapon.

No further details have been released, and investigators have not commented on a possible motive.

The incident has renewed attention on the importance of secure storage of licensed firearms, particularly in households with children and adolescents, while police urged gun owners to comply with safety regulations governing licensed weapons.