Express News Service
LUCKNOW: Two persons were arrested in connection with the attack on Hyderabad MP and leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Asaduddin Owaisi, on Thursday.
Some unidentified miscreants who, according to the AIMIM chief, fired gunshots at his vehicle near Chhajarsi toll plaza in Pilkhua on Delhi Meerut Expressway in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Thursday evening.
However, the AIMIM chief claimed through a Twitter post that he had reached Delhi safely and that nobody in his convoy which comprised of four vehicles suffered any injury and everyone was safe. While one of the miscreants was nabbed by the police immediately after the incident from the spot but the other one had fled the scene leaving the weapon behind.
According to police sources, the second person was apprehended after the interrogation of the first one. Police sources claimed that the two accused named Sachin Kumar and Shubham opened fire at the convoy of the AIMIM chief who was returning to Delhi after addressing a poll meeting in Kithauri in Meerut district.
Talking to media persons, Owaisi said that he had to leave the spot in another vehicle after the car he was travelling in got punctured due to the gun fire. He claimed that his convoy was attacked as the vehicles got slow near the toll plaza. “They were 3-4 persons who fired at least four rounds at my vehicle. The fled leaving their weapons behind. My car got punctured, but I got out in another car and left. We are all safe. Alhamdulillah,” Owaisi said in a tweet. The AIMIM chief also shared the picture of his car with gunshots.
Later, Owaisi said that one of the assailants was nabbed and it was later confirmed by the Hapur police authorities as well. “Police have informed me that weapons have been recovered and one shooter has been taken into custody,” he said. He also sought the Election Commission of India to order an independent probe into the matter.
The AIMIM chief said that his convoy was attacked when he was returning to Delhi after addressing a poll meeting in Kithaur in Meerut.
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
“I request the Election Commission of India to order an independent inquiry into this shooting incident. It is the responsibility of the UP government and Modi government to conduct an independent inquiry. I will also meet the Lok Sabha Speaker on this matter,” he said.
However, on getting the information, senior district and police authorities of Hapur including DM Anuj Singh and SP Deepak Bhuker along with a police force from Ghaziabad rushed to the spot and nabbed one of the shooters. They also checked the CCTV footage at the toll plaza to get a sense of the incident.
According to senior police officials, another suspect was on the run. “One person has been caught. He’s being questioned, and an illegal weapon has been recovered from his possession. His accomplice managed to flee and a search operation is underway for him. Nobody was injured so far. We are checking the CCTV footage,” said Hapur superintendent of police Deepak Bhuker.
Later, IG Meerut Range, Praveen Kumar, who was also present on the spot, said that five teams of police personnel were set up to apprehend the remaining shooters as soon as possible.
However, Yogi minister for minority affairs Mohsin Raza was among the first to condemn the attack on the AIMIM chief. “It is an unfortunate incident and the matter will be taken up seriously,” Raza said.
