A man, belonging to the right wing Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal, shot at anti-CAA-NRC protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia University here on Thursday afternoon, injuring one of them.
The man, who identified himself as Rambhakt Gopal, brandished a pistol at the protesters, who had gathered in hundreds and were marching for peace from Jamia to Rajhghat in the name of Mahatma Gandhi.
As the march reached Gate One of the university, the man accosted them and opened fire in full glare of media persons and policemen deployed there. A student protester, Shadab Farooq, was injured in the hand.
Videos of the incident soon went viral on social media.
One video shows 10-15 policemen merely looking on as the man brandished his weapon shouting, “ye lo aazaadi”, at the protesters. The police, the video shows, did nothing to detain the man. Nor did they try to take away his firearm while he sauntered around threatening student protesters.
Farooq, a second semester MA student of mass communication at the university, was taken to nearby Holy Family Hospital for treatment.
Gopal’s Facebook page, now deleted, says he is member of the Bajrang Dal. His cover photo shows him wearing a bhagwa and kissing a sword.
He seems to have uploaded several videos of the march on his profile page before he barged in with a firearm and shot a student.
One post read, “Shaheen Bagh khel khatm (Shaheen Bagh game over).” It was uploaded an hour or so before he attacked the protesters. He said on Facebook that “this revenge” was for Chandan.
Other posts, apparently published while he was at the march, read “Main yahan akela Hindu hun (I am the only Hindu here)” and “Yahan koi Hindu media nahi hai (There is no Hindu media here)” and “Azadi de raha hun (I am giving them freedom).”
In another post, Gopal says that he would like body to be draped in saffron amidst chants of “Jai Shri Ram”.
The marchers were stopped near Holy Family hospital after the incident. Police, who barricaded the area, prevented the students from resuming their protest.
In another video, also circulated amongst media groups, DCP (southeast) Chinmoy Biswal was seen fumbling to answer questions about the man.
“There is police deployment at Holy Family. There is police deployment at Sukhdev Vihar,” he said to a barrage of questions before asking media persons to turn off their cameras.
Jamia spokesperson described Farooq as helpful. “He is a good singer. He was a member of Jamia's theatre club during his graduation days. He is great at voice-overs and a budding photographer. His friends and faculty will vouch for his helpfulness,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Ajaz, a Jamia student, said they began their march around 2 pm. “When we were crossing Jamia, we heard a gunshots in the front. We were behind so we could not see the entire episode,” he told The Telegraph Online.
After the incident, another group of protesters circulated a message, inviting people for a gathering at Delhi Gate metro station near Rajghat at 5 pm. The message said they were to sing the National Anthem.
As per Delhi police orders, Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate, and ITO Metro stations were shut. But these were opened after about two hours.
