Jamia student injured as man fires at anti-CAA protesters, shouts ‘Yeh lo aazadi’

New Delhi, January 30

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.

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— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 30, 2020

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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, “Take this independence.”

Police watch as a guy waves a gun outside Jamia University. Man says “Yeh lo azaadi.” This week a minister chanted – desh ke gaddaron ko, goli Maro saalon ko. pic.twitter.com/19mfHvFcQR

— Niha Masih (@NihaMasih) January 30, 2020

Some TV channels said the gunman was identified as Gopal but this could not be immediately confirmed. “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.

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She said her friend, Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, was injured in his left hand and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

The injured, Shadab Farooq, hails from Bhaderwah in J&K’s Doda district, and is a student of Mass Communication in the university.

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Al-Ameen, another student, said the man was brandishing his pistol and shouted “Yeh lo aazadi (Here, take your freedom)”. 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. Students squatted in the area, asking the police to go back. As they raised slogans of “Go back, go back”, police officials asked them to maintain peace and conduct their protest peacefully.

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.

Police say incident happened in seconds; personnel didn’t have time to react   

The Jamia firing incident happened in a matter of seconds and by the time police could react, the man, who has been arrested, had fired his pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, the Delhi Police said.

The statement came after the Delhi Police faced flak from Jamia Millia Islamia students and the AAP alleged that the force’s personnel were “mute spectators”.

“By the time police could react, the person had already fired the shot. Everything happened in seconds. The investigation is on. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch. We are also probing whether he is a juvenile or not,” Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan.

Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar on Thursday afternoon after the man, who identified himself as “Rambhakt Gopal”, fired at 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 case has been transferred to the Crime Branch, police said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) Devesh Srivastava said based on the statement of the victim, a case of attempt to murder has been registered.

Special Commissioner of Law and Order (North) Satish Golcha met Farooq at the AIIMS trauma centre where he is currently undergoing treatment.

“We met him. He is stable now. The bullet has been removed and he also spoke to the doctor,” Golcha said. — PTI