LUCKNOW — Bullets were fired at the car of the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Uttar Pradesh while he was going for campaigning.
While none was injured in the incident, the police have arrested one person in connection with the shooting.
Owaisi’s party has fielded several candidates in the election and he was touring the western districts.
According to the district police of Hapur, the fleet was moving from Meerut to Ghaziabad when three to four armed men started firing at it at a toll plaza. Four bullets were fired at the vehicle in which Owaisi was seated.
Immediately after the incident, Owaisi informed the police as well as the public at large through a tweet.
He also posted a photograph of the vehicle with marks of gunshots. He wrote in the tweet that the assailants were already present at the toll plaza. All of them escaped after leaving their weapons at the site.
Owaisi has urged the State as well as the Central government to initiate a probe by independent agencies into the incident.
He has also asked the election commission to look into the matter. Owaisi wondered how four rounds could be fired at the convoy of a Member of Parliament in broad daylight.
Meanwhile, the Hapur police informed that they have arrested a person named Sachin in connection with the incident, while his aide Shubham is absconding.
During the preliminary investigation, it has been found that Sachin was unhappy with the statements given by Owaisi during the election campaigns.
This is the first incident of violence in the assembly polls in which a national leader has been targeted. According to officials, the miscreants tried to create a scare, instead of inflicting casualties.
All the bullets were fired on the metal body of the vehicle and not on the windscreen, it is pointed out.
Polling would be held on February 10 in 58 assembly seats of western UP in the first phase of elections. — (Agencies)