JNU's Umar Khalid escapes shooting bid, says, 'there's fear in country'

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid was shot by an unidentified man outside Constitution Club of India in New Delhi on Monday afternoon.

However, Umar Khalid managed to escape unhurt.

Khalid was at the venue to attend an event titled 'Khauff Se Azaadi', organised by an organisation named 'United Against Hate'.

Talking to reporters after being attacked, Khalid said, "There is an atmosphere of fear in the country, and anybody who speaks against the government is threatened."

An eyewitness, who was accompanying Umar Khalid, said, "We were at a tea stall when a man in a white shirt came form behind, pushed and opened fire at him. Khalid lost his balance, fell down and bullet missed him. We tried to catch the man. He fired aerial shots. The pistol slipped off his hand and he fled."

Joint Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Ajay Chaudhary said a man attacked Umar Khalid from behind while he was having tea with friends. “Khalid fell, but is safe. We are investigating what happened,” he said.

DCP Madhur Verma said they are verifying the attack. “Somebody pounced on Khalid and pushed him… then tried to fire at Khalid. But he couldn’t shoot immediately. People started chasing him. Khalid has said the man then fired in the air,” Verma said.

Umar Khalid first shot to fame (or infamy) on February 9, 2016 when he organised a protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

The protest was organised inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

According to media footage, anti-India slogans were raised at the event and sedition charges were slapped on Khalid and JNU students’ leader Kanhaiya Kumar.

Pursuing his doctorate in the JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies, Khalid recently claimed the university was not allowing him to submit his theses.

The university said he had not completed formalities that resulted from the sedition charge.