Thrissur: A former student of a private school here on Tuesday barged into his alma mater brandishing a gun, terrorising staff and students, following which police took him into custody. According to the school staff, he fired a couple of rounds after roaming inside the institution. No one was injured.
The incident happened in Vivekodayam school near Swaraj Round in downtown Thrissur. The man was identified as Mulayam Thadathil Veettil Jagan, a former student. He went to the compound, entered the staff room, took out a gun from his bag and later went to various classrooms, terrorising students and staff.
The school has the largest number of students in town. Jagan entered the compound searching for a student in the school.
When he threatened to put the school on fire, the authorities called the police and grabbed the man. It was before the police arrived on the scene that he entered the classrooms. When the accused tried to flee, the teachers helped by locals chased and caught him. CCTV footage of his entry into the class room have been recovered.
Police said the accused has been taken into custody and an investigation initiated. However, District Collector V R Krishna Teja, who rushed to the school soon after the incident said that it was an isolated incident and asked the parents not to worry as the situation was taken care of.
"A young person has come to the school. He was a bit unsteady and used his pistol and fired two or three rounds. That's what the school authorities have told us. He was taken into custody. It's an isolated incident and an investigation is on. There is no need to worry. We are all here. He will be produced before the doctor," Teja told the media.
The age of the accused could not be verified immediately. The visuals of the accused sitting inside the staff room of the school brandishing a gun which he took out from his bag is being telecast by television channels.
(With inputs from PTI)