Jamia firing: Protesters detained; Oppn likely to protest in Parliament

The attacker who may be a minor, was immediately detained after the incident

A man opened fire at a group of protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia injuring Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, on Thursday afternoon and shouted "Yeh lo azaadi", triggering panic in the city's Jamia area. The injured student who was seen bleeding from his left hand, was taken to AIIMS.

The man, who may be a minor, was immediately detained after the incident. There was heavy police and media presence when the incident took place.

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

The statement came after Delhi Police faced flak from Jamia Millia Islamia students and the AAP alleged that the force's personnel were "mute spectators". "The investigation is on. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch. We are also probing whether he is a juvenile or not," said Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan

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.

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. 

A Facebook spokesperson told PTI there was no place on Facebook for those who commit this kind of violence. “We have removed the gunman’s Facebook account and are removing any content that praises, supports, or represents the gunman or the shooting as soon as we identify it.”

According to its Dangerous Individuals and Organizations Policy, Facebook removes content related to terrorist activity, organised hate, mass murder (including attempts) or multiple murder, human trafficking, and organised violence or criminal activity.

Protesters detained at Delhi Police Headquarters

Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar after the incident and massive protests erupted with hundreds of agitated people gathering near the university, breaking barricades and clashing with police personnel. As night fell, some demonstrators, including a woman, could be seen being forcibly taken away. Many sang the national anthem. 

A large number of protesters, mostly students, also gathered outside the Delhi Police Headquarters to voice their anguish against the attack. The large gathering outside the Delhi Police Headquarters, mostly comprising Jamia students, alleged that the police were hand in glove with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. They also alleged that the police were "mere spectators" when the assailant opened fire on the protesters near Jamia.

Protesters who were sitting outside Police Headquarters(old) at ITO against the firing incident in Jamia area yesterday, detained by Police.

Jamia VC hits out at Delhi Police

The Jamia Millia vice chancellor Najma Akhtar came down heavily on the police inaction after the incident took place.

"It has shaken our faith in police, they just watched as the man brandished the pistol and shot our student," she said.
 

Students recall the horror

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 injured in his left hand and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

Al-Ameen, another student, said the man was brandishing his pistol and shouted "Yeh lo azaadi (Here, take your freedom)".

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.

Shah directs strictest action

Home Minister Amit Shah directed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to take the strictest action in the case of the man firing a pistol at protesters. The home minister also said the Centre would not tolerate such incidents and the guilty will not be spared. “I have spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner on the incident of firing in Delhi and have directed him to take strictest action," he said in a tweet. Shah said there would be serious action into the incident.

Opposition likely to protest in parliament
 

Ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session of Parliament, leaders of several opposition parties will meet today to discuss the Jamia firing incident, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR).

The meeting will take place at 9:30 am in Parliament. Also, the opposition leaders are likely to protest over these issues in Parliament.