Commuters choke as CAR cops fire expired tear gas shells

Tension prevailed on Tank Bund Road near Sirsi Circle adjacent to CAR grounds as motorists had breathing difficulties in  what they thought was some chemical gas leak.

On being alerted, firefighters rushed to the spot and discovered that constables  had  destroyed  expired tear gas shells at CAR grounds, leading to the gas leak.

The CAR's armoury personnel destroyed 12 tear gas shells  simultaneously, leading to the spread of an irritant gas on Mysuru  Road and panicking commuters, sources in the CAR said.

According to firemen, the incident occurred around  8.30 am  when they received a distress call from a commuter. Commuters complained of burning sensation in the nose and eyes that filled up eyes. Many of them became dazed and had to pull in.  

The constables fired tear gas shells as part of a training session at the CAR grounds.

Syed Abdul Wajid, who was dropping his daughter at St Theresa Women's College, told DH: "I thought the burning was happening only to me. I then asked my daughter who said she felt the same way. We then saw other motorists pull in one by one and covering their faces. I then called the fire brigade as I thought people might fall unconscious." The father and the daughter didn't go to the college but returned home.

Fire personnel who rushed to the spot with breathing equipment discovered that the smoke was from tear gas shells. They then informed the police who, in turn, called the CAR headquarters and apprised them of the incident.

The training was suspended and the police were asked to stop traffic on the road. The situation returned to normal half an hour later.