Bullets fired as groups clash at Gujarat oxygen refilling unit

A man fired three bullets from his revolver in the ground during a clash between two groups who had assembled for refilling oxygen cylinders at a plant in Gujarat's Kutch district, police said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Monday night after some persons got agitated over a vehicle blocking the way to an oxygen refilling plant in Mota Chirai village near Bhachau town and clashed with another group of people waiting at the outlet, they said.

During the clash, a man, identified as Rajbha Jadeja, took out a revolver and fired three rounds in the ground to intimidate people of the other group, a Bhachau police station official said.

A police constable, who was at the site, moved quickly and brought the volatile situation under control, he said.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

The police official said people had assembled outside the plant of a private company that supplies oxygen to hospitals for treating coronavirus patients.

An FIR was lodged against seven persons, two of them unnamed, at the Bhachau police station under various IPC sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) and 146 (rioting), and relevant provisions of the Arms Act and the Disaster Management Act (which is in force due to Covid-19 outbreak), he said.

No arrest has been made yet and further investigation was underway, the official added.