A case has been registered against an armed man who entered the protest area at Shaheen Bagh on Tuesday, 28 January, and threatened the agitators, according to eyewitnesses.
According to news agency ANI, Mohammad Luqmaan (owner of the gun) was called for questioning on Wednesday, 29 January. A case has been registered in the matter and investigation is underway.
Speaking to ANI, South East District (Delhi) DCP Chinmay Biswal said that the FIR has been registered against Luqmaan under IPC's section 336, section 506 and the Arms Act.
"Owner of the pistol was questioned, the pistol was found to be licensed," he also said.
Luqmaan said, “I have been living in Shaheen Bagh for 30 years, I went there to speak to protesters to open the road. I always carry my gun with me, someone saw it and took it out, I don't know who it was.”
A video clip of the alleged incident which is doing the rounds on social media shows a gun-wielding man being overpowered by the protesters.
According to Syed Taseer Ahmed, one of the protesters and a local, the man climbed up the stage at around 3 pm and threatened the people to end the agitation.
He was, however, overpowered by other protesters and taken away from the site.
The protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Shaheen Bagh, primarily led by women, has been witnessing supporters flocking in thousands every day.
However, it has also been criticised for blocking the road and causing inconvenience to motorists and schoolchildren.
Shaheen Bagh Official, a Twitter handle which posts updates from the protest site, wrote at 6 pm, “An official and urgent appeal from Shaheen Bagh: armed anti-social elements have entered the protest area. We fear that more right-wing groups could enter and launch an attack. We appeal to all to join the protest, strengthen our numbers and prevent any violence.” At 6:21pm, it tweeted an update.
“Infiltrators have been caught and neutralised, and the situation is back to normal. However, we are on alert for more such incidents today and in the coming days as we reach elections in Delhi. Please reach Shaheen Bagh and sites across Delhi in large numbers," the update said.
(With inputs from ANI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)