The Rajasthan Police said on Saturday that a bullet from a colleague’s pistol killed Tamil Nadu Police Inspector S Periyapandi, India Today reported. The incident occurred when the police team was chasing thieves in Jaitaran area of Rajasthan on Tuesday.

Inspector Muni Shekhar has been booked for accidentally firing on Periyapandi, The New Indian Express reported on Sunday. He has been charged with causing death by negligence.

Pali Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhargav told IANS that a Chennai Police team entered a brick kiln in the middle of the night on Tuesday, acting on a tip-off about thieves hiding there. But when they entered the kiln, the accused’s family attacked them. While the rest of his colleagues escaped by jumping the wall, Periyapandi could not.

During this, Inspector Shekhar accidentally set off his pistol while taking it out from his pocket, fatally injuring Periyapandi. Shekhar, two head constables and a constable immediately rushed Periyapandi to a hospital in Jaitaran, where he was declared brought dead. The pistol which was accidentally fired has been sent for forensic tests.

The attackers at the kiln have been booked. Police have arrested accused Tejaram Jat, his wife Bindiya and daughter Sugna. While Bindiya and Sugna have been sent to judicial custody, Tejaram Jat is in two-day police remand.

Bhargav said a gang had robbed a jewellery shop in Chennai on November 16 and escaped with 3.5 kg gold and 5 kg silver. They then escaped to Rajasthan, where they were tracked down on December 13.