In poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Asaduddin Owaisi`s car fired upon; a suspect arrested - key highlights

MP Asaduddin Owaisi`s car was allegedly fired upon in Hapur, while he was returning to Delhi after attending election-related events in western UP. Hapur Superintendent of Police said one accused has been arrested and police are confirming the details of others and motive

Ghaziabad: Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Polls 2022, AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi got a scare as his car was allegedly fired upon in Hapur, while he was returning to Delhi after attending election-related events in western Uttar Pradesh.

Owaisi's vehicle was near the Chhijarsi toll plaza on the Hapur-Ghaziabad stretch of the National Highway 24 when the incident took place at around 6 pm, he said. No one was injured in the incident, Owaisi said.

The Hapur Police said one person involved in the firing has been arrested while multiple teams are investigating the case. "Some time ago my car was fired at, near Chhijarsi toll gate. Four rounds of shots were fired. There were 3-4 people, all of them ran away and left the weapons there. My car got punctured, but I moved to another car and left. We are all safe. Alhamdu'lilah," Owaisi tweeted in Hindi.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad MP said he had left Delhi in the morning for election-related programmes in Meerut and Kithore, where he held a foot march at 3.30 pm. Owaisi's convoy had four cars, he said.

"We were at the toll gate and had slowed down when we suddenly heard three-to-four rounds of gunshots. My car also got some dents and a tyre got punctured," he later told reporters. "I urge the EC to ensure an independent probe into the incident. It must be known who is behind this incident. It's also an appeal to the Modi government and the Yogi government," he added.

A CCTV footage accessed by Zee News shows a guy in a red hoodie shooting at the car in the beginning, but he is reportedly not yet arrested. Then the footage shows a man in a white jacket firing at the car and this was the guy who has been allegedly arrested. A pistol was reportedly confiscated from him.

(Above) A collage of an image shared on Zee News. (Left) CCTV footage of Owaisi's car; (right) the psitol which was allegedly used to shoot at Owaisi's car.

Hapur Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhuker said one accused involved in the episode has been arrested and police are confirming the details of others and their motive. "We are also finding out how they planned this (shooting). Since the incident took place at the toll plaza, we are also checking the CCTV footage available there. Police teams have been deployed and very soon others involved in the episode will also be held," he told reporters.

The officer said the investigation was at the preliminary stage and other facts and details would be shared as and when available. Meanwhile, senior district officials, including those from the administration and the police, reached the incident site, where several activists and supporters of the AIMIM had started gathering after the shootout.

ADG Prashant Kumar in Lucknow said the local police had got into action as soon as the AIMIM chief had tweeted about the incident. "Some people were detained from the incident spot by the police. Video footages were also secured. It appeared that two people had opened fire and of them has been arrested. He has been identified as Sachin, a resident of Badalpur area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district. An illegal pistol has also been seized from him," Kumar said.

He said the police are gathering information regarding who else was involved along with Sachin and efforts are on to unveil the episode and the motive behind it. "What's satisfactory is that the police responded quickly and one person has been held and video footage ascertains his involvement in the episode. Search is on for his associate. The Meerut IG is at the spot," the senior officer said.

Deepak Bhuker said the investigation was at the preliminary stage and other facts and details would be shared as and when available.

Meanwhile, senior district officials, including those from the administration and the police, reached the incident site, where several activists and supporters of the AIMIM had started gathering after the shootout. AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel took to social media and tweeted that all "AIMIM units across the country will be registering a peaceful protest on Friday and will be submitting memorandum to respective DMs/Commissioners, seeking a thorough investigation into attacks on Owaisi."

Elections are scheduled for February 10 in 58 assembly constituencies across 11 districts of western Uttar Pradesh, where polls will be held in seven phases. 

(With PTI inputs)