Undertrial under treatment wreaks havoc at Nimhans after snatching police rifle

BENGALURU: Vishwanath (22), an undertrial being treated at Nimhans for mental illness, was shot and injured by the city police on Sunday after he snatched a police rifle, fired several rounds in the air, and locked himself up in a room.

The bullets that he fired damaged the walls, doors and windowpanes. The city police deployed their own commando team to capture him after the undertrial created an atmosphere of fear at the hospital. The comman dos carried out a three hour long operation to catch him, but could overpower him only after firing bullets aimed at his arms and legs. He is reportedly critically injured.

Hundreds of policemen cordoned off the premises as the commandos carried out their operation. As has been the routine for the past three years, Vishwanath was brought to Nimhans from the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison on Sunday afternoon. “He first went to the bathroom. Then, he snatched a rifle from the guard and entered the guard room that had five rifles and 100 rounds of bullets and was holed up. He fired at commandos, and there was return fire,“ Police Commissioner N S Megharikh said.

The drama reportedly began around 3.30 pm when Vishwanath snatched the rifle from a policeman. After locking himself up in the guard room, where there was enough ammunition for him to continue firing, a team of doctors made attempts to talk him out of the situation, urging him to handover the weapon. He was booked in a case of murder and other offenses.