New Delhi, Jan 30: Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar on Thursday after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a Jamia Millia Islamia student before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting “Yeh lo aazadi” amid heavy police presence in the area.
Massive protests erupted in the area after the incident with hundreds of agitated people gathering near the university, breaking barricades and clashing with police personnel.
The man, who identified himself as “Rambhakt Gopal”, was subsequently overpowered by police and detained. He was taken into custody and was being interrogated, police said.
The entire drama, which triggered panic in the area, was captured by television cameras that showed the man in light coloured pants and a dark jacket, walking away on an empty road barricaded by police, turning around and shouting at the protesters in Hindi, “Here, take this freedom.”
The gunman went live on Facebook before the brandishing the gun. Police said they were verifying whether it is his real name.
Before the attack, the man also put out messages on Facebook stating “Shaheen Bhag Khel Khatam” (Run Shaheen, the game is over). Another message stated, “Please wrap me in saffron in my last journey with slogans of Jai Shri Ram”. His Facebook profile was deleted after screenshots of his posts were circulated widely on social media platforms.
Several students recapped how their peaceful march on Gandhi’s death anniversary became violent.
“We were moving towards the Holy Family Hospital where the police had raised barricades. Suddenly, a gun-wielding man came out and opened fire. One bullet hit my friend’s hand,” Aamna Asif, a student of economics at the university, told PTI.
She said her friend, Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, was trying to calm the attacker but he shot at him injuring his left hand.
Farooq, who belongs to Kashmir, was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
Ragibh Naushad, an LLB student at the university, said, “The Jamia Coordination Committee organised a march to pay homage to Gandhi ji on his death anniversary. It started at 12 noon from Gate number 7, but police denied the permission and stopped the march near the Holy Family hospital.
“A man named Gopal, came there and started brandishing a weapon and later shot a round. He was also chanting pro-CAA slogans.”
The incident led to panic in the area.
Khalid Hassan, a JMI alumnus, said initially many were not sure whether it was a gunshot or a tyre burst.
There was heavy police and media presence when the incident took place.
The students were heading from Jamia to Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat. The march was stopped at the Holy Family Hospital near the university.
Chinmoy Biswal, DCP (southeast), said the students wanted to take out a march from Jamia to Rajghat but were denied permission.
“They were being repeatedly told that the protest should be carried out peacefully. We had barricaded the road just before the Holy Family hospital. Meanwhile, a person was seen in the crowd who waved something which appeared to be a weapon.”
“We have detained him and are interrogating him. One person has also been injured,” Biswal said.
Jamia firing incident ‘direct result’ of ‘hate’ speeches by BJP leaders: Left parties
New Delhi, Jan 30: The firing at Jamia Nagar on a group of anti-CAA protesters is a fallout of “hate” speeches and inflammatory comments made by Union ministers and BJP leaders during campaigning for the February 8 Delhi assembly polls, Left parties alleged on Thursday.
Tension spiralled in the area on Thursday afternoon after a man fired a pistol at the protesters, injuring a Jamia Millia Islamia student, before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting “yeh lo aazadi”, amid heavy police presence.
The man, who identified himself as “Rambhakt Gopal”, was subsequently overpowered by police and detained.
“The hate-speech and call to violence by Union ministers and BJP leaders – along with the silence of the PM – has led to this shameful outcome. This is the kind of India this govt wants to create. #MartyrsDay,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.
CPI general secretary D Raja said the incident is a “direct result” of the inflammatory comments made by BJP leaders.
It is unfortunate that such an incident has taken place on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, he told PTI.
“The Jamia firing incident is a direct result of provocative statements made by BJP leaders during campaigning in Delhi. BJP leader Anurag Thakur should be arrested for his comments urging crowds to raise slogan of shoot the traitors,” Raja said.
The Election Commission (EC) has barred Union Minister Thakur from campaigning for the Delhi polls for three days. The poll panel also barred BJP MP Parvesh Verma from canvassing for four days for his controversial remark that lakhs of anti-CAA protesters in Shaheen Bagh could enter homes to “rape and kill” women.
The decision was taken as the poll panel was not satisfied with their reply to show-cause notices, an EC official said.
The duo have also been removed by the poll body as star campaigners for the BJP because of their comments.
Firing in Jamia result of hate speech by Union Ministers, BJP leaders: CPI(M)
New Delhi, Jan 30: The CPI(M) on Thursday said the firing in Jamia Millia Islamia was a fallout of the “hate speech” by Union Ministers and BJP leaders during the Delhi Assembly poll campaign.
A man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters in the city’s Jamia Millia Islamia University on Thursday, injuring a student, before calmly walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting “Yeh lo aazadi” amid heavy police presence in the area, witnesses said.
The man was subsequently overpowered by police and taken into custody.
“The hate-speech and call to violence by Union ministers and BJP leaders – alongwith the silence of the PM – has led to this shameful outcome. This is the kind of India this govt wants to create. #MartyrsDay,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.
