Fear gripped the residents of Nileri village near Devanahalli, as stray bullets from a practice firing range of the Police Training Centre, Avati, have been hitting vehicles passing by and on terraces of houses.
The villagers held a protest on Thursday saying they now live under constant fear and demanded immediate safety measures to ensure the bullets don’t stray.
Many of the vehicles parked outside the houses and walls and roofs of the houses have bullet marks, Srinivasa, a villager, said. He also handed over casings of several stray bullets that have hit houses nearby to a senior police official, who visited the village following the protest.
“Sometimes the bullets fall in our frontyard and backyard. We have repaired our roofs because of the damage. Children, women, and elders are scared to venture out and now remain indoors during firing practice,” Mr. Srinivasa said. “This has been the case for many years now. Despite many representations, the situation has not improved,” he rued. “We demand strict measures be taken to ensure the safety of villagers,” Manjunath, another villager part of the protest, said.
Senior police officials, including KSRP and CAR officials, visited the spot to take stock of the situation. “We have assured villagers that a permanent solution will be found and till then we have decided to stop firing practice at the range,” a senior official said.
