Lucknow: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s convoy was allegedly shot at Thursday evening in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district by two youths in their 20s. The men allegedly opened fire at the car Owaisi was travelling in, but no one is believed to have sustained any injuries. One of the attackers has been detained by Hapur police.
The incident happened when the Hyderabad MP was passing through the Chhajarsi toll gate while on his way to Delhi from Meerut.
In a tweet, Owaisi, who was in the state to campaign for the upcoming assembly elections, claimed that four rounds were fired at the car and that the attackers left their weapons on the spot and fled. He added that his car tyre was punctured and that he travelled in another vehicle thereafter.
कुछ देर पहले छिजारसी टोल गेट पर मेरी गाड़ी पर गोलियाँ चलाई गयी। 4 राउंड फ़ायर हुए। 3-4 लोग थे, सब के सब भाग गए और हथियार वहीं छोड़ गए। मेरी गाड़ी पंक्चर हो गयी, लेकिन मैं दूसरी गाड़ी में बैठ कर वहाँ से निकल गया। हम सब महफ़ूज़ हैं। अलहमदु’लिलाह। pic.twitter.com/Q55qJbYRih
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) February 3, 2022
The person detained for the alleged attack was identified by police sources as a resident of Badalpur in Greater Noida named Sachin. Police sources told ThePrint that his accomplice has been identified as Shubham, a resident of Saharanpur.
Hapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Deepak Bhuker told the media that “Owaisi’s convoy was passing by the toll plaza when two youths fired upon it”.
“Since our checkpost was near the spot, police immediately reached there. One suspect has been detained. He is being questioned. Another accomplice has fled the spot and is being searched for. No one has been injured and shot at,” he said. Bhuker added that the police are checking the CCTV footage of the incident.
Sources in UP Police said a 9 mm pistol had also been recovered from the spot.
Meerut Inspector General (IG) Praveen Kumar, too, reached the spot and addressed the media.
“We have inspected the spot on the basis of information received. Evidence has been collected and one person whose identity has been confirmed in the CCTV footage has been detained. The entire incident is being probed from all angles and eyewitnesses have been spoken to. More questioning will follow to bring the case to a logical end,” he said.
Paramilitary personnel have been deployed on the spot in the wake of the incident.
Also read: Owaisi to begin three-day UP visit with Ayodhya as AIMIM gears up for assembly fight
Motive not known yet
Questioned by the media on Sachin’s motive, IG Kumar said the probe was in a “very preliminary” stage.
“We need to investigate whether they came here together planning an attack or were already standing here, after which the incident took place,” IG Kumar said.
On being asked about the supposed “security lapse”, he said CCTV footage had been collected and a detailed investigation is on.
Also present was Additional Director General (law and order) Prashant Kumar, who reiterated that disclosing the motive for the attack was not possible till the incident was fully probed.
“Sachin is being interrogated thoroughly. Apart from that, we are trying to find out who else is involved in the incident. We will soon reveal the motive behind the incident,” he said.
An official source said “the detained youth is in his mid-twenties”.
“He goes by the name of Sachin and is a resident of Greater Noida’s Badalpur. The second youth has been identified as Shubham and he belongs to Saharanpur. Sachin belongs to Duryayi village in Greater Noida. His credentials are being verified,” the source added.
AIMIM, TRS leaders condemn attack
AIMIM leaders condemned the alleged attack on Owaisi and questioned the “claims of crime reduction in UP” that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath “are talking about”.
“Our senior leader of the country is not safe. Is this the reduction of crime that Modi and Yogi are talking about? The state and central government should provide adequate security to Owaisi,” AIMIM spokesperson Syed Asim Waqar told the Republic TV channel.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader and state minister K.T. Rama Rao termed the incident “outrageous” and “utterly reprehensible” in a tweet.
Glad you are safe Asad bhai
Outrageous & utterly reprehensible; Strongly condemn this act of cowardice https://t.co/LK3GEyjf1s
— KTR (@KTRTRS) February 3, 2022
In a statement, the Samajwadi Party said, “There should be no place for violence in a democracy. The news of attack on the vehicle of the AIMIM leader is extremely sad and condemnable. Strict action should be taken against those responsible.”
Owaisi told the media that when he had reached the Chhajarsi toll gate, his convoy had four other vehicles.
“When the vehicle (in which Owaisi was travelling) slowed down near the toll gate, a loud thud was heard. I was alarmed and my friend, who was driving, said that it was an attack. He tried to rush away, but another loud sound was heard. I think some three-four rounds were fired,” he said.
“My vehicle has holes on the left, while one is on the mudguard. The right side tyre has been punctured. One of them (attackers) was wearing a red hoodie, the other wore a white jacket. The second one fired back on a Fortuner in our convoy. I have spoken to the additional SP in charge and he has admitted that a weapon have been recovered and one attacker has been arrested,” he added.
(Edited by Saikat Niyogi)
Also read: UP polls: BJP faces farm distress; law & order, welfare issues may help party