In Bangkok’s Siam Square, a 41-year-old Indian man was apprehended on Monday for allegedly causing panic among the public by threatening them with a pistol-shaped lighter. The incident unfolded at approximately 4 pm outside the Novotel Bangkok hotel on Siam Square Soi 6 in the Pathum Wan district. Police were alerted to the situation when witnesses reported the man’s erratic behavior and his display of what seemed to be a firearm.
The individual, later identified as Sahil Ram Thadani, was captured on video roaming the bustling area, creating disruptions and gesturing with an object resembling a gun towards onlookers. Witnesses and bystanders fled in alarm, leading security personnel in the vicinity to step in as they awaited police assistance.
Upon the authorities’ arrival, attempts were made to restrain Thadani, who allegedly resisted compliance and persisted in making threats towards both law enforcement and the public. Subsequently, he was apprehended, and it was revealed that the item he brandished was, in fact, a cigarette lighter designed to mimic a pistol.
Thadani was escorted to the Pathum Wan Police Station and charged with engaging in threatening conduct and causing a disturbance in public. Law enforcement officials suspect that his actions were influenced by hallucinations induced by the consumption of cannabis. A preliminary investigation disclosed that Thadani had previously held directorial positions in three Indian companies, all of which are no longer operational.
Authorities are conducting further inquiries and have not dismissed the possibility of additional charges in the case.