Two Taiwanese Injured In Firing Near Jama Masjid In Delhi

Mtoday news

New Delhi, Sept 19: Raising security concerns ahead of the Commonwealth Games, two men on a motorbike fired several rounds on a tourist vehicle near the historic Jama Masjid in the walled city, injuring two Taiwanese nationals.

A red alert has been sounded across the capital after the incident in which the two bikers are said to have fired 7-8 rounds on the stationary vehicle adjacent to gate number three of the mosque and 100 metres away from the house of Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari at around 11.30 am.

The two injured, who are from Taiwan, were taken to nearby government Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan Hospital in the same bus. Their condition is stated to be stable.

 

One of them was injured when a bullet grazed his head while another was hit in the abdomen and is being operated, LNJP Hospital Medical Superintendent Amit Banerjee said.

Delhi Police Joint Commissioner Karnail Singh told reporters that the four cartridges recovered from the spot showed that the weapon used could be .38 calibre revolver.

But the rounds of fire recovered were also of 9 mm, which can be used in pistol or carbine, he said refusing to hazard a guess on the motive of the attackers. "We are looking into all angles and we cannot jump to conclusions," he said.

"A red alert has been sounded and we are conducting checks at various points. We are confident of nabbing the culprits soon," the Joint CP said.

He said the area constable tried to give a chase to the attackers but they fled on their motorcycle.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the incident is sad and worrying but said there was nothing to panic.

"I am in constant touch with the Police Commissioner. The police are investigating into the incident and culprits will be caught. Everything is under control."

She said there is nothing to worry about healthwise in the case of the two injured.

Asked whether it is a security scare ahead of the October 3-14 Games, Dikshit said, "This has been a very sad incident...an incident like this is something worrying but nothing to panic about."

She said it will be incorrect to presume that the two particular individuals were targeted as the attackers fired on the tourist bus.

"Lots of security measures have already been taken. But wherever there is an inadequacy about it, that hole has to be plugged," the Chief Minister said.

A large crowd gathered in the area while tourists who were there to visit the mosque left soon after the incident. Police said phone calls in the area are being scanned and armed personnel have been deployed in the locality.

Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari called it a "terrorist" incident aimed at creating panic, preventing foreign visitors from coming to the city and making the Games a "failure".

"This has been done to spread panic in India so that people from outside do not come to Delhi...a conspiracy to make the Commonwealth Games a failure," he told reporters.

Asked if he feels terrorists were behind this, he said, "Killing innocent people, firing several rounds...doing all these things...this is terrorism and the authorities will have to find out who is responsible."

He said "outside forces" do not want peace and tranquillity in the country and the government will have to ensure security.

The Medical Superintendent of the LNJP hospital said the condition of both the injured are "basically stable".

He said the man who had a gunshot injury in the abdomen was being operated while in the case of other, there was an wound in the head but radiological investigation did not find any bullet on the scalp.



Blaze In Car Near Jama Masjid Firing Spot; Police Say Not Related

New Delhi, Sep 19: Just hours after a firing incident on a vehicle carrying foreign tourists near the Jama Masjid in the walled city on Sunday, a car mysteriously caught fire only 15 metres away from the spot.


Police said prima facie, the two incidents were not related. "We are investigating the matter. We are checking whether it has any link," a senior police official said.

The stationary Maruti-800 car caught fire at around two pm. "It happened in front of policemen," the official said.

The car has been taken to Jama Masjid police station.

Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot which doused the flames soon.

There was some panic in the area as the incident came soon after two men on a motorbike fired several rounds on a vehicle near the mosque, injuring two Taiwanese nationals.

The site where the car caught fire is only 15 metres away from the spot where the firing took place.

A team of Delhi Police’s elite anti-terror force Special Cell also visited the spot.

PTI