Man with gun creates panic in Ernakulam Collectorate

An 84-year-old man who came to renew his gun licence took out the pistol creating panic among the staff at the district collectorate here.

Gopalakrishna Pillai, a retired Deputy Tahsildar reached the Eranakulam Collectorate on Monday to enquire about the status of his application to renew his gun licence.

Police on Tuesday said Pillai, who is from Muvattupuzha near here, wanted to show the staff his pistol for which he had a licence and there was no intention of threatening them. Sources said Pillai, who came to enquire over the delay in renewing licence, was engaged in a conversation with a staff but suddenly took out his pistol to show it. This created panic among the staff and security was called immediately.

”It seems like he was not intending to threaten the staff. He is 84 and suffers from age-related difficulties. He reached the collectorate to enquire about the delay in renewing his pistol licence,” police said. Police said that renewing the gun licence requires a police report and the same from the revenue department.

”We found that the gun was loaded. The security staff at the collectorate pacified the man and took away the gun,” police said.

The man had a gun licence since 2007 and ”as of now, we have kept the pistol under our custody,” police said. Since there was no complaint from the staff, police have not registered any case in the matter.

The man, who is unmarried, was sent home with his relatives.