Gunman opens fire at protesters near Jamia university, one injured

NEW DELHI: An unknown man fired at a protest against India’s new citizenship law (CAA) near a university in Delhi on Thursday.

According to the details, he shouted slogans against the protesters, including hijab clad women, before firing at them in the first such incident in the capital during more than a month of demonstrations.

“He was in front of all the people – protesters and policemen who were standing nearby, but he jumped in from this side, brandished the gun and said ‘Come I will give you freedom’,” a witness who gave his name as Aamir said.

The Citizenship Amendment Act fast-tracks Indian citizenship for non-Muslim minorities from three neighboring countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has rejected the protests and members of his Hindu nationalist party and its affiliates have painted the protesters as anti-nationals.

This week, India’s junior finance minister Anurag Thakur encouraged supporters at a state election rally in New Delhi to chant slogans calling for traitors to be shot, drawing a reprimand from the election commission.

#WATCH A man brandishes gun in Jamia area of Delhi, culprit has been detained by police. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/rAeLl6iLd4

— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2020

According to the sources of Reuters, Some of the biggest protests have taken place near Jamia university, which police stormed in December. On Thursday, police barricaded the road outside the university.

Delhi: The student injured after a man brandished a gun and opened fire in Jamia area today. He has been admitted to a hospital. The man who had opened fire has been taken into police custody and is being questioned. pic.twitter.com/w3jrfvcDFr

— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2020

Indian SC issues notice to Centre on CAA petitions, seeks reply in 4 weeks

Earlier on January 22, The Supreme Court of India said that petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be heard by a five-judge constitutional bench and gave Centre four weeks to respond to petitions challenging CAA.

According to the details, The top court on Wednesday gave the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi four weeks to reply to a batch of 143 pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed last month.