High drama at Constitution Club as student leader attacked

The Constitution Club, yards away from the Parliament building in the heart of the national capital, that usually rings with speeches of politicians and activists and debates, today witnessed high drama as JNU student leader Umar Khalid was attacked by an armed man just outside its gate.

It was business as usual as visitors flowed in to attend events organised at the club, till a shot was heard and news spread that Khalid was attacked.

The calm was shattered and clueless people rushed to the spot for more information. Meanwhile, the student leader ran for his life into the club premises.

Amid a charged atmosphere, a visibly shaken Khalid told some reporters that he was attacked by a man carrying a gun from behind but he could not see his face.

He said it was "ironic" that he was attacked while going to the club for attending an event against mob lynching.

Banjyotsna Lahiri, who was with Khalid at the time of the incident near a tea vend just outside the club premises, said the attacker was carrying a gun and fired a shot.

The mad rush was complicated further as eyewitnesses shared their versions of the incidents with those seeking details.

They provided different versions on the number of persons involved in the assault.

One witness claimed the stoutly built man wearing a white shirt and jeans fired one shot as he was chased by Khalid's friends and others on the spot.

"The man crossed the road and ran towards Parliament Street when his gun dropped. It went off as it hit the ground," said Sanjay Kumar, claiming to have witnessed the incident.

Khalid ran inside the Constitution Club where the event organised by United Against Hate group was held.

Meantime, senior police officers of New Delhi district including Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Chaudhary and DCP Madhur Verma reached the Constitution Club and Khalid was taken to another hall of the club where he was enquired about the incident.

Soon to join were a posse of mediapersons including crew of TV channels who assembled at the entrance to the hall where Khalid and officers were present.

However, policemen escorted Khalid in a vehicle and took him to Parliament Street police station for recording of his statement and registration of an FIR in the incident.

The Joint Commissioner of Police said that claims of fires being shot would be investigated and added Khalid was being sent for medical examination.