Book किताब: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad suffers gunshot injury, taken to hospital

बुधवार, 28 जून 2023

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad suffers gunshot injury, taken to hospital

Sandeep Rai | TNN | Updated: Jun 28, 2023, 20:13 IST

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad suffers gunshot injury, taken to hospital

MEERUT

on Wednesday. He was rushed to a hospital and is stable, said a police official. Azad was injured after his convoy was attacked by armed men near Deoband.

"I don't remember well but my people identified them. Their car went towards Saharanpur. We took a U-Turn. Five of us, including my younger brother, were in the car when the incident occurred," said Azad, narrating the incident from his hospital bed.

Saharanpur SSP

Vipin Tada

said: "The convoy of

Chandrashekhar Azad

was fired at by a few car-borne armed men. A bullet brushed past him. He is alright and has been taken to CHC for medical treatment. Police is investigating the matter."

Another official said that a bullet brushed past the Dalit leader and caused an abrasion near the lower back.

The bullet pierced through the front side door of the car and embedded in the seat.

According to police sources, the attackers’ car had a Haryana-licensed registration number plate.

“We were five in our vehicle including my brother Manish when a car came from behind and shot at us. I could not recognize them but others with me can identify them. We immediately took a U-Turn while the car with the attackers moved towards Saharanpur through Gagalhedi. I called SSP Saharanpur and informed him that I had been shot and felt pain as well. I don’t remember much as I got disturbed. I think one of our associates did get injured but I am not sure. I don’t have enmity with anyone," said Azad

According to SSP Saharanpur Vipin Tada, “We received the information of shooting at around 5.15pm in the Deoband region. Senior police officers reached him. The bullet has grazed past the stomach. He was immediately rushed to the local CHC where the doctors treated him and said that his condition is normal and out of danger. Now we will investigate the incident on the basis of the CCTV footage and the victim’s statements.”

Meanwhile, the Bhim Army has issued a statement on the attack. "The deadly attack on

Bhim Army Chief

and National President Bhai Chandrasekhar Azad in Deoband of Saharanpur is a cowardly act of stopping the Bahujan Mission Movement! Demands quick arrest of accused, strict action and security of National President Bhai Chandrasekhar Azad ji!" the Bhim Army said in a statement.

Chandrashekhar is the founder member of the Bhim Army and rose to prominence after the Police-Dalit clash in Saharanpur in 2017 while the latter protested against the caste clash that had taken place in the district at that time. He was arrested by the UP STF later but was granted bail in November 2017. However, the UP Government detained him and slapped NSA on him which was dropped in 2018. Later he formed the Azad Samaj Party, the political wing of the Bhim Army which has considerable influence in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and nearby areas.