A student of Amrit Science Campus, Thamel, was critically injured in a gun firing at Naya Bazaar in the capital Friday morning. Police have detained two assailants who had opened fire at Basanta Shahi, a permanent resident of Lamahi VDC-2 of Kailali district.

Shahi is the vice-chairman of the campus unit of All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) affiliated to CPN-UML.

Shahi is the B. Sc. third year student of Amrit Science Campus.

Police have concluded after interrogating the arrested assailants that the firing took place while Shahi and three others were learning how to fire and load and unload the gun.

Police have detained Bir Bahadur Rawat and Mukesh Nepali within six hours of the shooting from the capital.

The shooting took place at the first floor of the building owned by Dhana Bahadur Shrestha at Kathmandu Metropolitan City-17, near Khusibu Town Planning areas, at around 7:30 am.

Rawat, a permanent resident of Marmaparikanda VDC-8 of Salyan district and Nepali, a permanent resident of Bankataiya VDC-5 of Parsa district, were students of the same Campus of the same level.

Rawat, 29, is also vice-chairman of Free Student Union of Amrit Science Campus.

Speaking at a news conference, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and chief of Metropolitan Police Range Hanumandhoka Jaya Bahadur Chand said detained Rawat and Nepali were Shahi’s close friends.

According to Rawat and Nepali, the gun was brought by Manoj Khatri who is also their friend at the rented room of Rawat Friday morning.

According the assailants, all of the four friends had slept in the rented room of Rawat Thursday night.

Shahi came to Rawat’s room after his relatives came to his room and he had no place to accommodate himself.

"Our investigation

purely shows that Shahi sustained injuries on his neck while they were learning to operate the gun," SSP Chand said.

Khatri fled the scene citing that he would come with an ambulance.

Khatri is a permanent resident of Dhap VDC-6 of Jumla district and was temporary living at Nakhipot in Lalitpur district.

Khatri had come riding his black Apache motorcycle Friday morning.

According to the arrested’s statement, Khatri went for bringing an ambulance but he did not return and when they (Rawat and Nepali) tried to contact him at his mobile phone, it was switched off.

Police have recovered a US made automatic pistol loaded with three-rounds of bullets of 9mm, one set lead of the bullet, blood contained blanket, pillow, bed sheet,

SSP Chand said, Shahi sustained one bullet on his front part of the neck and penetrated his entire neck.

Shahi was at first rushed to Kathmandu Model Hospital and was latter referred to the TU Teaching Hospital. Police recovered the bullets and pistol from the rented room of Rawat.

SSP Chand said Khatri was also arrested earlier by the Metropolitan Police Sector, Durbar Marga, over a tender dispute.

Dr. Ramesh Acharya, chief of the emergency room of the Teaching Hospital, said an operation of Shahi’s neck was undergoing the neck was pierced by the bullets.

Dr. Acharya said he is currently undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital.