By IANS
New Delhi : Cracking up under severe hunger and depression, a security guard at a Maruti showroom in the capital fired 13 rounds from his rifle in the air and at a police squad that tried to dissuade him from opening fire. No one was injured.
The incident occurred around 3.30 a.m. in the Seemapuri area of northeast Delhi, when Kamruddin, on guard duty on the roof of the building, fired from his rifle.
Kamruddin, 40, who hails from Mewat in Haryana, had apparently not eaten properly for three days ever since he arrived in the capital from his hometown to take up the job. He was under tension and had not rested properly, a senior police official told IANS.
According to the police, Kamruddin was standing on the roof of the building when he heard some “disturbance” below and fired some shots. Two guards were on duty at the time on the ground level of the showroom.
On hearing the gunshots, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Devi Ram, on night patrol, rushed to the spot and found 50-60 labourers gathered below the building.
“Devi Ram tried to dissuade him, but Kamruddin instead started firing at him. A bullet missed the ASI and hit his police motorbike,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast Delhi) Jaspal Singh told IANS.
“He immediately informed the police control room (PCR) and his seniors. In between, the guard kept on firing. Six PCR vans and many officials, including station house officers from three police stations, arrived at the scene within 10 minutes,” Singh said.
Singh, who himself was leading the police teams, said they tried every possible way to prevail upon the guard, but he continued firing at them.
Two bullets struck the PCR vans, inside which some policemen were taking cover. The police immediately cordoned off the area and asked the labourers to go back to their workplaces.
“We even fired a white light on him and made several announcement asking him to surrender. He was even threatened with dire consequences, but he continued firing,” Singh said.
The drama ended only an hour later when three policemen sneaked in from the back of the building and overpowered Kamruddin.
His weapon was seized and he was arrested. Police teams took him to the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital for a medical examination.
“Kamruddin, during his interrogation, said he had fired under severe mental depression,” Singh said.