The Kalaburagi police in Karnataka on Saturday opened fire at a man at a public market who was allegedly threatening people with a knife and a weapon. He was later arrested and taken to a government hospital for treatment.
A video of the incident also went viral on social media in which a man, identified by the police as one Mohammed Fazal Jafar, 28, a fruit vendor, can be seen in the area roaming around with a knife in his hand. The incident occurred around 9pm on Saturday in Bhrahmapura police station limits.
Police said they received a call that a man was threatening to attack locals and shopkeepers and he is carrying a knife and another weapon. According to the police, when they reached the spot, Jafar threatened to attack cops that is when he was shot at.
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The video which went viral shows cops approaching the man and asking him to put down the knife, however, as he threatens to attack, an officer opened three rounds of fire at Jafar and recovered the weapon from him after he was on the ground.
Kalaburagi city police commissioner R Chetan told media persons that the police fired at Fazal in self-defence.
“Control room received a call about Fazal roaming with knives and threatening the public. As police reached the spot, they asked him to drop the weapons but he was trying to attack the public near a supermarket. When he tried to attack, the police opened fire at his leg,” he said.
The officer said they are yet to ascertain the reason behind the man’s actions. “He has been shifted to the hospital. We are yet to collect the details of the accused,” the commissioner said.
Meanwhile, a case was registered at Brahmapura police against Jafar and further investigation into the matter has been launched.