Peru's former president shot himself in the neck as police came to arrest him over bribery, is now in critical condition

Alexandra Ma

Apr 17, 2019, 18:57 IST

Peru's former president shot himself in the neck as police came to arrest him over bribery, is now in critical condition

Peru President Alan Garcia corruption shot self November 2018

ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty Images

Peruvian former president, Alan García, in Lima in November 2018.

Peru's former president shot himself in the neck as officers came to arrest him over bribery allegations, Agence France-Presse reported, citing his lawyer.

Alan García is now in critical condition in hospital in Lima, the Peruvian capital, the BBC reported. He was taken there by police officers who came to arrest him.

García was immediately taken into emergency surgery, Reuters reported, citing local media.

García - who served as president from 1985 to 1990, and from 2006 to 2011 - is accused of taking bribes from Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction company. He denies the allegations.