Armed youth fights police trying to help him

Lucknow, Feb 19 (IANS) A mentally unstable youth, who locked himself into a room in his house here Wednesday, continued to battle the policemen trying to get him out for over 24 hours. The 27-year-old has been firing at the police with his father's licensed gun since Thursday morning.

Shamim alias Raju, son of a doctor in Bakshi-ka-Talab area on the outskirts of Lucknow, has been locked in a room since Wednesday night, police said. His father Shabeer Ahmad called the police Thursday morning when Raju
refused to open the door and a few constables headed by an inspector were sent to get him out.

But Raju began firing at everyone, including security personnel, friends and relatives, who tried to approach him. He has so far fired 14 rounds from his father's double-barrel gun, injuring two policemen, including an inspector, an official said.

"We have learnt that the youth is mentally unstable...He has a phobia that people, including his relatives and family members, will harm him," Superintendent of Police (rural) Ashok Prasad told reporters.

"Around two years ago, the youth had a similar depressive attack," he said.

Police tried to administer sedatives to him by mixing it in his food and beverage, but all attempts proved futile as he refused to accept them.

Police said Raju fired the last shot at 1.15 a.m. Friday. Later, at around 9 a.m., smoke was seen billowing out from the second floor of the house, where Raju has locked himself in a room.

"We have called a fire tender...We still don't know what caused the smoke," said Prasad.

Raju's family members accept that he is "mentally unstable", but haven't given any specific reason for it. However, Raju's neighbours and friends say he went into depression a few years ago after he was apparently not allowed to pursue the career of his choice.

"Raju, who did brilliantly in his M.Sc (Maths), wanted to join civil services. However, his family made him take up teaching," Raju's friend Pawan Singh told reporters.

"Recently he had appeared in the NET (National Entrance Test) exams, but could not qualify. At present, he is pursuing B.Ed from an institute in Ghaziabad," he added.