kbaruddin Owaisi, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator from Chandrayangutta, was injured when his rivals attacked him with knives and shot at him near Barkas, a stronghold of his party, sparking tension in the old city area of Hyderabad on Saturday. Mr. Owaisi was declared out of danger after undergoing a major surgery.
A youth, later identified as Ibrahim Yafai (26), said to be an assailant, was killed and two others injured when the gunman of another MIM legislator Mohammed Bin Balala opened fire as the attack took place, around 11.15 a.m. Mr. Balala too suffered a bullet wound while trying to save Mr. Owaisi, and his condition was stable, police said.
Large contingents of police moved into the old city, a bastion of the MIM, as thousands of youth took to the road and began attacking vehicles near the Owaisi Hospital, where Mr. Owaisi was undergoing treatment. Tension eased only after police declared that Mr. Owaisi was out of danger.
The motive for the attack appears to be the strident opposition of the Majlis to alleged land grabbing activities by Mohammed ‘Pehalwan.'
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy convened a meeting with Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and DGP K. Aravinda Rao to take stock of the situation.
Police sources said doctors removed two bullets from Mr. Owaisi's person, while one more was still embedded in his abdomen.
Mr. Owaisi, Mr. Balala, party legislator from Malakpet, and some party workers were near the party office in Barkas when a group rushed towards them and began arguing with them.
“They attacked Mr. Owaisi with knives, inflicting bleeding wounds, while one of them shot him from close range,” police maintained.
