Ahead Of I-Day, Student Activist Umar Khalid Shot At In High-Security Lutyens’ Delhi

He, however, escaped unhurt.

By: News Desk |
August 13, 2018 5:15 pm

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student and activist Umar Khalid was shot at by an unidentified man in Delhi. The incident happened at the high-security central Delhi area on Monday. Khalid was supposed to attend an event called, ‘Towards a Freedom Without Fear’ in the Constitution Club of India on Rafi Marg. He, however, escaped unhurt.

Delhi: An unidentified man opened fire at JNU student Umar Khalid outside Constitution Club of India. He is safe. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/5JEJydD5TR

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2018

Delhi: An unidentified man opened fire at JNU student Umar Khalid outside Constitution Club of India. He is unhurt. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/ubNh4g4D80

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2018

According to an eye-witness’ account, a man wearing a white shirt pushed Khalid after which he fell down. The attacker opened fire at him but the bullet missed him. The unidentified attacker immediately fled from the spot.

There was an event, Umar Khalid accompanied us. We were at a tea stall when a man in white shirt came,pushed&opened fire at him. Khalid lost his balance,fell down&bullet missed him. We tried to catch the man. He fired aerial shots,pistol slipped off his hands,he fled: Eyewitness pic.twitter.com/oqRcfgRPcY

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2018

#WATCH Delhi Police DCP Madhur Verma says ‘It is being verified. Umar Khalid said that he was attacked. Somebody pounced on him and pushed, thereafter he tried to fire at Khalid.But couldn’t. According to Khalid the attacker fired in the air and was chased by people’ pic.twitter.com/vhQrknlokB

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2018

Khalid, along with his fellow student activists, came into limelight in 2016 after a case of sedition was filed against him and others for organising an event against the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Since then, he has received threats on multiple occasions. In the same year, his father filed a police complaint after he reportedly got a phone call “threatening to kill his son if he doesn’t leave the country.”

In June this year, Khalid himself filed a police complaint after receiving death threats from a man who identified himself as gangster Ravi Pujari.

Many student leaders and journalists took to Twitter to condemn the attack:

Shocking and highly condemnable: a guy attacked Umar Khalid from behind and tried to shoot him in Delhi. This is the direct result of hatred whipped up by Republic TV & other hate media. I spoke to Umar. He’s okay, but we should be very very worried about his safety.

— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) August 13, 2018

Umar Khalid has been shot at today outside Constitution Club, right outside the Parliament House. This is a big security failure! Also, the impact of the hatred incited by BJP Govt and blood thirsty news anchors who falsely branded him as an anti-national. Shame on you all! pic.twitter.com/FXDVft3drE

— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) August 13, 2018

And through the alchemical process of repetition, they have converted a lie into a truth. Lies — when amplified by unscrupulous media — have consequences. Today’s attack on Umar Khalid is one such.

— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) August 13, 2018

My reaction on Umar Khalid pic.twitter.com/wkjOLFyip3

— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) August 13, 2018

(With inputs from PTI)