Palghar, Jun 7 (PTI) A 17-year-old girl who sustained a gunshot wound at a lodge in Maharashtra’s Palghar district was a victim of an accidental firing, an official said on Saturday.

After the incident on May 30, the girl’s father had accused the man of kidnapping and attempting to kill her with an unlicensed pistol at the lodge in the Kelva area. Based on the father’s complaint, the man was arrested, the official said.

“However, following a thorough probe, the police concluded that there was no motive to open fire at the girl. The firing was accidental,” said Palghar Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh.

“If the accused had any motive, he would have taken her to an isolated location and fired at her, and this did not happen,” the SP said.

The accused was produced in court on Saturday after his police remand ended. He has been sent to 14-day judicial custody, said the official.

“Police are now looking for the person who helped the man get the pistol. Police have also registered an FIR against the lodge owner, Avinash Atmaram Raut,” he said. PTI COR NR