In Delhi for shooting competition, Bihar teen found dead in hotel room

“We received a call at 12.30 pm from an OYO hotel, situated on 60 Feet Road in Pul Prahladpur. We rushed to the spot and found the boy unconscious. He was taken to Apollo Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. No injuries were found. We have preserved his body and a post-mortem will be conducted Monday. We have informed his family as well. Action will be taken after ascertaining the exact cause of death,” he said.

Police recorded the statements of victim’s roommate, team manager and hotel staff. “The boy had gone for a bath around 12.30 pm. A while later, his roommate heard him shouting. As the door was locked from inside, he immediately informed hotel staff. They entered the bathroom though a window and found him unconscious,” said a senior police officer.

Team manager of the Uttarakhand State Rifle Association Amar Singh said the boy was among 500 shooters who had come to participate in the tournament. “We had booked rooms at the OYO hotel on October 9… Apart from two players, including the boy, the rest of the team had left after participating in the tournament. I was watching a match at the range when I heard about the incident,” said Singh.

“I am not aware about the exact cause of death, but the incident took place due to negligence of the hotel. If it turns out to be a case of electrocution, strict action should be taken against them,” he alleged.

When contacted, an OYO Rooms spokesperson said: “Our heart goes out to the boy and his family. The matter is currently being investigated to determine the cause of this unfortunate incident. We are fully cooperating with local police and will continue to do so in the entire process. Safety and security of guests and employees is of utmost priority at OYO.”

Ashok Mittal, secretary-general of the Haryana State Rifle Association, which is organising the event, said: “The boy was in the bathroom of the hotel where he was staying when the unfortunate incident took place. We heard about it from his teammates in the evening .”