Man who threatened speeding bus drivers with toy gun ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

A man who "terrified" bus drivers by threatening them with his daughter's toy gun to stop them speeding has been ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment.

The Indian accused, 35, stopped in front of a bus before approaching the driver and warning him he would "kill him" if he saw him speeding again.

The man was arrested in the car park at Global Village, Dubai, on March 2 after complaints were made about his behaviour to police by three bus drivers.

The offender said he meant no harm and only brandished the plastic weapon to warn the drivers about the dangers of speeding.

One of the victims told prosecutors that he was waiting for passengers when the accused knocked on the bus’s window.

“He knocked and when I looked at him, he asked me where I worked and I answered,” said the Bangladeshi bus driver, 33.

"Then suddenly, he lifted up his jacket and showed me a gun saying that he would kill me if he ever saw me speeding again."
An Indian bus driver said the accused stood in front of his bus, forcing him to stop, before walking towards the window.

“He accused me of trying to run him over and said he would kill me if he saw me driving over the speed limit,” said the 43-year-old driver.

“The men were terrified and said someone threatened them with a gun,” said a police officer, 51.

“I called the operations room at once, then asked the men to direct me to his location.”

When the men pointed out the accused, the police officer said he followed him to his car before asking him if he had made threats with a gun.

The accused said he did approach three drivers carrying a gun, but said it was plastic and belonged to his daughter.

“The men drive public transport buses and I saw them speeding, which poses a danger to many lives,”  said the accused.

So I used my little daughter’s toy gun to scare them against speeding.”

“It's a toy gun, your honour. I meant no harm,” said the accused in court.

When he appeared at Dubai Criminal Court last May, the man denied three counts of issuing threats.

The court, however, decided against issuing a guilty or not guilty verdict, instead referring the man for treatment at a psychiatry and therapy centre.

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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
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126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

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Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.

Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.

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Benedict Wells
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Sceptre

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Brief scores:

Day 2

England: 277 & 19-0

West Indies: 154

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A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.

The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.

Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.

Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.

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