AMN / NEW DELHI
Jawaharlal Nehru University, JNU student and activist Umar Khalid was reportedly attacked by an unidentified gunman before an event at the Constitution Club of India here today.Khalid escaped unhurt.
Khalid was scheduled to speak at an event titled – ‘Towards a Freedom Without Fear’ organised by United Against Hate Initiative. According to ANI, an eyewitness, who identified himself as Khalid Shafi: “One man in white shirt pushed Khalid down on ground and fired on him while he was standing at a tea stall outside the Constitution Club. The shot missed him and the gunman fled from the spot leaving behind his pistol as people standing near Khalid rushed towards him.”
The police that reached the spot, escorted Khalid out to a safer place. Further details are awaited.
Thank god you are safe @UmarKhalidJNU and long may you thrive in your activist and academic endeavours and be sheltered by all the powers of India's democracy
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) August 13, 2018
Later, Khalid said, “There is an atmosphere of fear in the country and anybody who speaks against the government is threatened.”
The police are at the spot and are investigating the matter. They have seized the weapon that was dropped by the accused while fleeing.Meanwhile, another JNU student, Shehla Rashid, has claimed she has received a death threat from “right-wing Hindutvawadi fundamentalist Ravi Poojary”.