At least 3-4 rounds of gunfire were fired at his vehicle at the Chhajarsi toll plaza
Asaduddin Owaisi claims his vehicle shot in Uttar Pradesh
Asaduddin Owaisi, a Lok Sabha member and the leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), claimed that at least 3-to 4 rounds of gunfire were fired at his vehicle at the Chhajarsi toll plaza on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Thursday.
After an election-related event in Kithaur, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, the AIMIM chief announced he was travelling to Delhi.
In a tweet, AIMIM said, "I was leaving for Delhi after a poll event in Kithaur, Meerut. Around three to four rounds of bullets were fired upon my vehicle by two people near Chhajarsi toll plaza, they were a total of three to four people. Tyres of my vehicle punctured, I left on another vehicle."
Demanding an independent investigation into the attack, Owaisi stated that it is the obligation of the BJP administrations at the federal and state levels to set up an investigation and determine who was responsible for the crime. He further stated that he will write to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to request an independent investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, SP Hapur Deepak Bhuker has stated that one individual has been caught and questioned, with the weapon confiscated from him.
He said, "His accomplice managed to flee, a search operation is underway for him. We'll update you when more facts come to the fore. Nobody was injured so far. We are checking the CCTV footage."
One guy has been detained, according to Deepak Bhuker, SP, Hapur, and he is currently being questioned. He was found to have a weapon, but his partner managed to flee. A manhunt is underway for him, and police are reviewing CCTV evidence.
One individual has been arrested, while another has been detained, according to police officials. The initial investigation found that they committed the deed after being offended by Owaisi's anti-Hindu remarks.
According to Praveen Kumar, IG Range, Meerut, the police have visited the scene based on the information they have received, and evidence has been collected.
He further added, "One person who was identified with the help of CCTV has been apprehended. Questioning is being done. We will take this to its logical end."
The event occurred just days before Uttar Pradesh's legislative elections. In the state, Owaisi has been campaigning for his party. Under the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha alliance, the AIMIM will run for 100 of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
The attack on the AIMIM chief's vehicle was denounced by Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza, who said it was a terrible occurrence that will be investigated.
BJP Spokesperson Anila Singh expressed horror at the occurrence and stated that those guilty of the attack would be prosecuted.
Akbaruddin Owaisi, the AIMIM chief's brother and a Telangana assembly MLA, also reacted to the incident, saying that Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi Sahab was subjected to a life-threatening attack in Dasna, with many rounds fired at him.
"Sadar Saheb Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah benevolently Allah Ta'ala keep Sadar Sahab in his Hefzo Amman," in a tweet he said.
Reacting to the incident, AIMIM MP Imtiyaz Jaleel has said that this needs to be taken very seriously. "Luckily, he survived this time, otherwise, it would have been a major disaster," he added.
The AIMIM leader has urged that an independent investigation into the incident be launched by the Election Commission. “I request the Election Commission to order an independent inquiry into this shooting incident. It is the responsibility of the UP govt and Modi govt to conduct an independent inquiry. I will also meet the Lok Sabha Speaker on this matter,” he said in a tweet.
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