Unidentified assailants allegedly fired on the car of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad in Deoband of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday evening and fled from the spot.

The Dalit leader was admitted to a local hospital with a bullet injury in his lower back.

Sagar Jain, superintendent of police of Saharanpur Rural, under which Deoband falls, told reporters: “There were four persons in the car from which shots were fired at Chandrashekhar near Gandhi Colony when he was travelling from New Delhi to his village Chutmalpur in Saharanpur district in his car. We are trying to nab the attackers. The reason behind the attack is not yet known.”

“There were four persons in the car and perhaps two of them fired at us. We were five friends in my car. I was driving it. Brajpal Singh, a doctor who was sitting in the front seat, has also suffered a bullet injury in his arm,” Chandrashekhar told reporters in the hospital.

The Dalit youth leader from west Uttar Pradeshfloated the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) two years ago. Some party members had won local body elections last month.

Saharanpur senior superintendent of police Vipin Tanda said: “The bullet grazed the skin in his lower back. The doctors have said that he is out of danger. We are collecting more details.”

“There were other vehicles also in his convoy but the attackers targeted him only. The car which was used in the crime is registered in Haryana. We are probing it and would reach the criminals soon,” added Tanda.

Pawan Gurjar, a leader of the Azad Samaj Party, said: “This incident exposes the poor law and order in Uttar Pradesh. Those who conspired to kill our leader must know that we are not weak. We will foil all the tricks of our rivals to intimidate us.”