A youth has been arrested in connection with the death of a 16-year-old boy from a bullet injury in Malda district on Thursday.

Samiul Islam, 16, was found shot dead on the roof of his house under the jurisdiction of Kaliachak police station. An improvised 7mm pistol was found near his body.

Samiul's father Mohammad Rajikul Islam filed a police complaint. The Kaliachak police started a probe and arrested Safi Ali, a local youth and Samiul's friend, on Friday.

“An iron-made improvised firearm, blood-stained clothes and a phone were seized from the arrested youth," said a senior police officer.

According to him, Ali, who is over 18 years old, was shooting a video with Samiul.

"They decided to use a real firearm (a 7mm improvised pistol) to give an original effect to their video so that they could draw more viewers to social media. While shooting the video, Ali aimed the firearm at Samiul. Suddenly, he pulled the trigger and the bullet pierced the boy's head,” the officer said.

After the incident, Ali fled the spot. During preliminary interrogation, Ali purportedly told the police that he and some others deal in illegal firearms and ammunition to make earnings.

A court remanded Ali in police custody for seven days.

Diesel seized

Dhupguri police seized around 800 litres of diesel from roadside eateries on Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon.

The diesel had been brought illegally from Bhutan.