Bank security guard fires at customer trying to enter without mask in UP’s Bareilly

The customer was admitted to a hospital after being seriously injured. Police said the guard shot the person in anger and has been taken into custody.

A Bank of Baroda branch | Representational image | PTI File

Bareilly: A security guard posted at the Junction Road branch of Bank of Baroda here on Friday allegedly opened fire at a customer who was trying to force his way inside without a mask, police said.

The customer, Rajesh Kumar, was seriously injured and admitted to the district hospital while the guard has been taken into police custody, Superintendent of Police (City) Ravindra Kumar said.

Rajesh Kumar had come to the bank for some work at around 11:30 am when an altercation took place with the guard, Keshav Prasad Mishra, who in anger shot at him, the SP said.

The bank, in a statement, said it regretted the unfortunate incident and extended help to the aggrieved family.

According to eyewitnesses, the guard was heard repeatedly shouting before he was taken into custody that the customer was trying to force his way inside without a mask and abused him when he was checked for it. He also said that he had to open fire when the customer forcibly entered.

The SP said the customer’s statement will be recorded after he regains consciousness.

Geeta Bhusal, senior manager of Bank of Baroda Junction Road branch said the forensic team of the police is checking the CCTV footage. The exact status of the incident will be known only after watching the footage, she added.

After receiving information about the incident, IGP, Bareilly Range Ramit Sharma, SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan, SP City Ravindra Kumar and others reached the spot and the forensic team has started investigation.

Later, the bank issued a statement saying, We deeply regret the unfortunate firing incident that took place as a result of a reported altercation between the guard and the victim. The injured has been immediately admitted in the district hospital and is reportedly out of danger.”

The bank has extended every support (financial and otherwise) to the aggrieved family. The guard, who was deployed by a private security agency, has been immediately relieved of his duties and has also been arrested by the police, it said.

The statement added that the bank is working with police authorities in their investigations.

“We are also conducting an internal investigation through the bank’s security officials in order to ensure that any such random incident also does not happen in future and customer safety is always ensured, it said.