A 28-year-old Armed Reserve policeman allegedly attempted suicide and was admitted in a critical state to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Wednesday.
Mahendra Perumal, 28, was on sentry duty at the Reserve Bank of India on Rajaji Salai on Wednesday afternoon when he is believed to have shot himself in the chest. According to police he was on duty at the tower close to the control room and the police on duty who heard the gun shot rushed to his aid. An ambulance was called and he was rushed to the hospital.
Mahendra Perumal is a native of Sivaganga district and had been posted on duty here. He was married five years ago to Priya and she was in his hometown. Police said that he had visited his native town for Pongal. He had shot himself with the rifle which could fire 30 rounds, police said.
Hospital authorities said that he was brought around 5 p.m. and was sent to the emergency ward. At the emergency ward, since there was a lot of blood loss, he was administered IV fluids and blood. “We have to assess the injury, its severity, depth and extent before we can take up any procedure. He went into coma and collapsed. His blood pressure would have fallen as the bullet had entered his midriff and exited through the back,” said Anand Pratap, the resident medical officer.
Though there was heavy police presence and hospital staff continuously attended to him, he collapsed around 6.30 p.m. Doctors had to resuscitate him and put him on ventilator support before he was wheeled in for surgery half an hour later. The RMO said the surgery could last five hours. He, however, ruled out any delay in the treatment saying that the nature of the injury had to be ascertained before any procedure is done.
