DY. SARPANCH HUSBAND OPENS FIRE

A retired army man, the husband of the local deputy sarpanch, opened fire during a wedding baraat after a small dispute, creating panic in Shayampet in Dharmaram mandal of Peddapalli district late on Thursday night.

According to DCP Ravinder Reddy, the retired soldier, Baddam Thirumal Reddy, had purchased double barrel gun with 20 rounds from Jammu and Kashmir after his retirement. He opened two rounds from the gun during the dispute.

Mr Ravinder Reddy said that Mr Thirumal Reddy had previously opened fire in the air during the local New Year celebrations and also after his wife has won as deputy sarpanch in the village.

He has so far opened 14 rounds of fire in the air till date, the deputy commissioner of police said. There were no casualties.

Upon receiving information about his latest firing incident, police arrived in village early on Friday and took Mr Thirumal Reddy into custody and shifted him to the Peddapalli police station.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Habib Khan said that Thirumal Reddy was joined Army service as Naik in 2002 and retired last year. Police seized the gun and the ammunition and registered a case under the Arms Act. Forensic teams reached Shayampet on Friday and collected shells and empty cartridges for analysis.

MR RAVINDER Reddy said that Mr Thirumal Reddy had previously opened fire in the air during the local New Year celebrations and also after his wife has won as deputy sarpanch in the village. He has so far opened 14 rounds of fire in the air till date, the DCP said. There were no casualties.