Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Man fires air gun at RBI HQ, arrested
MUMBAI: In an incident that initially triggered fears of a terror attack, a 27-year-old man with an air gun fired at a security guard at the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI) headquarters in Ballard Pier as guards tried to stop him from entering the building on Tuesday evening.
The accused, Padmagirish Rajshekhar Nair, who is undergoing psychiatric treatment, has been arrested by the MRA Marg police.
The lead pellets used in air guns are blunt and rarely cause fatal injury. Air guns are freely available in the market and don’t require a licence.
The reason why Nair was trying to enter the RBI with an air gun remains unclear.
The incident took place around 3.45pm. D Sivanandhan, security advisor to RBI and former Mumbai police chief, said: “Nair tried to enter the building through the staff entrance and the security guards stopped him. At this point, he pulled out an air gun [concealed under a black jacket]. Other security guards rushed towards him and as they were trying to overpower him, he ended up firing a round. No one was injured.”
CONTINUED ON P9 RELATED REPORTS, P3