Hyderabad, May 04: Video footage of the attack on Akbaruddin Owaisi telecast by 4tv, a local Urdu channel on Tuesday, is likely to become crucial evidence in the brazen attack on the MIM legislator, even as police arrested seven persons in the case.
The disturbing visuals, capturing moments of a grimacing Mr. Owaisi almost fainting with bleeding wounds and one of the assailants fleeing, were telecast by the channel three days after the attack. The mainstream channels too grabbed the footage and beamed it spreading tension again in the old city. Soon, the police stepped up security there and increased patrolling in vulnerable localities of Chandrayanagutta and Barkas. The footage, however, was incomplete and thus raised many doubts as to how it began.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad Police Commissioner A.K. Khan told a press conference that seven persons, including Mohamemd Bin Omer Yafai, alias Mohammed Pahelwan, were arrested in the case. The accused were not presented before the media apprehending retaliation by the MLA supporters, but were produced before a court amidst tight security. They were remanded in judicial custody. “Some more persons accused of conspiring for and participating in the attack have to be arrested. The accused bore grudge against the MLA as he attempted to dispossess them of the Government lands they had illegally occupied though some other factors drove them to the attack,” Mr. Khan said.
Mr. Owaisi sustained two bullet wounds. It is yet to be medically ascertained if injuries sustained by his driver and others were of bullets or knife attack. The gunman, Jani Miya, of MIM MLA, Ahmed Bin Balala, returned three rounds of fire using his 9 mm pistol which left one of the assailants, Ibrahim Yafai, dead and his two brothers, Abdullah Yafai and Awadh Yafai, injured.
“This was done in self-defence but would be investigated into as per the procedure,” the Commissioner said. The reported failure of the local police to thwart the attack was also being probed by the South Zone DCP who was directed to submit a report at the earliest.
The complaint sent by Mohammed Pahelwan through speed post about the shoot-out was received on Tuesday and action would be taken after consulting legal experts, Mr. Khan said.
Ventilator removed
Ventilator support to ailing MIM MLA, Akbaruddin Owaisi, was taken off as his vital signs were in normal limits, the Care hospital doctors attending on him said on Tuesday. He is conscious and communicative, a bulletin released by them said.
He, however, required support for renal and liver functioning.
–Agencies