Bajrang Dal says Jamia shooter not its member, condemns violence

Right wing organisation Bajrang Dal on Friday said the shooter who opened fire at anti-citizenship law protesters in Delhi's Jamia Nagar was not its member and condemned the "unfortunate" act.

Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar on Thursday after the class 12 student from Jewar town in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh fired a pistol at a group of anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protesters, injuring a Jamia Millia Islamia student.

Identifying himself as "Rambhakt Gopal", he waved the firearm above his head and shouted "yeh lo aazadi" before being overpowered by the police and detained.

The attacker, in a since deleted Facebook profile, shared multiple posts berating the anti-CAA agitators and their aazadi slogans and hinted that he was prepared for any eventuality.

In one of the messages, he said, "Shaheen Bhag Khel Khatam" (Run Shaheen, the game is over) while in another he stated, "Please wrap me in saffron in my last journey with slogans of Jai Shri Ram". Screenshots of his posts were circulated widely on social media platforms.

Anti-CAA protesters at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, Zakir Nagar, Jamia Nagar, Khureji Khas and other places often raise slogans like "CAA se aazadi, NRC se aazadi" (freedom from CAA and NRC).

"The boy is neither a primary member of the Bajrang Dal nor was he entrusted with any responsibility by the organisation. Violence, committed by anyone, is not correct. We condemn his act and it was an unfortunate incident," Praveen Bhati, co-convenor of the Bajrang Dal's western Uttar Pradesh unit, said.

The Delhi Police had said on Thursday that they were yet to ascertain the shooter's real name and age, even though the pictures of his purported marksheet and Aadhaar card, hinting that he is a minor, were circulated on social media.