Chennai: Retired Army man opens fire from air gun over domestic dispute, arrested

CHENNAI: The police arrested an army man and seized his air gun and more than a hundred pellets from him after he fired the weapon into the air during a dispute with his estranged wife in Aminjikarai.

The arrested person was identified as John Bosco (59), a resident of Ayapakkam near Ambattur. Officials said he and his wife, Anuradha, were living separately due to a property dispute.

The incident happened when Bosco visited his wife's residence to meet his children, where an argument broke out between the couple. According to the complaint, Bosco threatened her during the dispute. She further stated that he fired a gun into the air that went off with huge noise, causing panic in the neighbourhood.

Based on the complaint, the Aminjikarai police detained Bosco for questioning. During the inquiry, police found that the weapon used in the incident was an air gun and not a firearm.

Bosco served in the Army for 17 years before retiring in 2004.

Further inquiries revealed that he had purchased the air gun and pellets from a shop in Periamet four months ago. The police have registered a case, seized the air gun, and arrested Bosco, who was remanded in judicial custody.