Umar Khalid shot at: Was he present at the spot, here is what we know

New Delhi, Aug 14: On Monday, the newsrooms were abuzz with the firing incident on JNU student, Umar Khalid. While an eye-witness account stated that a man in a white shirt had fired at Khalid and missed, another version claiming that the JNU student was not present is also doing the rounds.

Soon after the incident a video began to circulate in which a journalist with Dainik Bhaskar, Santhosh Kumar claimed that the incident had indeed occurred outside the Constitution Club, but Khalid was not present.

He further said that he had witnessed a scuffle involving two persons near a tea kiosk close to the gate of the club. One had a gun in his hand and he pushed the other to the ground. As he was about to shoot, his attempts were thwarted by some people present there, he further said. The man with the gun then fled the scene. Khalid was however not at the spot and emerged a few moments later, Kumar further said.

पत्रकार @santoshji रफी मार्ग पर गोलीकांड के चश्मदीद हैं,चाय की दुकान पर अचानक दो लड़कों के बीच झगड़ा हुआ,एक लड़की ने बीच-बचाव की कोशिश की,तभी एक लड़के ने पिस्तौल निकालकर फायर किया लेकिन गोली नहीं चली,बाद में हमलावर हवाई फायर कर फरार हो गया।टब तक उमर खालिद मौके पर नहीं था। pic.twitter.com/2Hz7t143LB

— Vikas Bhadauria ABP (@vikasbha) August 13, 2018

Khalid however while describing the incident said that it took place near a tea stall. When we started leaving, a guy came from behind, held my neck and overpowered me. I fell to the ground. He then aimed the pistol at me. My friends then pushed him aside and then he fled from the spot, Khalid also said.

Khalid was at the venue to attend an event called Khauff se Azaadi, organised by an organisation called United Against Hate. It may be recalled that Khalid had filed a complaint alleging death threats in June.

Meanwhile, another eye witnesses said that Khaled was at a tea stall when the incident occurred. A man in a white shirt reached the spot, pushed people and opened fire. Khalid lost his balance and fell down and the bullet missed him. The crowd tried to catch the man, but he fired aerial shots and fled, the eye witness also said.

Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Chaudhary said that according to the information the police has, Umar Khalid was drinking tea with some of his friends when an unknown person came by and attempted to heckle Khalid.

He also said that when people present at the scene tried to get ahold of the person, he fled the scene, leaving behind a pistol. Whether or not shots were fired is something that is being probed, Chaudhary also said.