Delhi violence: Gun-wielding man Shahrukh charged with attempt to murder, fired three shots 'in a fit of rage', says police

The gun-wielding man who was arrested for pointing a gun at an unarmed policeman during the Delhi riots, has been booked under charges for attempt to murder, among others, the Delhi Police said on Tuesday. At a press briefing regarding the arrest, Additional CP Ajit Kumar Singhla said that the police is yet to recover his pistol with which he fired three shots “in a fit of rage”. The police also said that the man, identified as Shahrukh, told the interrogators that he had fired shots in a fit of rage after he saw stone pelting happening in the Jaffrabad-Maujpur area of northeast Delhi, which was one of the epicentres of the three-day riots over the Citizenship Amendment Act. “He had bought the pistol two years ago from a friend in Bihar,” Singhla said, adding that the police are investigating whether he has any links with any organisation and whether he had planned the firing.

Ajit Kumar Singla, Additional Commissioner of Police: We're trying to recover the pistol he used. Shahrukh said he fired during protests in a fit of rage. He has no criminal background but his father has a narcotics & fake currency case against him. Further investigation underway https://t.co/ON2IxwPDCI pic.twitter.com/11lEUJTr0N

— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2020

“He has been charged under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 186, 353 of IPC and Arms Act. Further sections will be added during the course of investigation if needed. We will try to get his maximum possible remand,” he added. Singhla also said that the police are looking into whether Shahrukh has any links with former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, who has been named as an accused in the killing of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma. He also added that while Shahrukh’s father has a case of narcotics and fake currency against him, he doesn’t have a criminal record himself. Shahrukh was arrested from a bus stop in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli on Tuesday morning, Singhla said. In a video that went viral last week, Shahrukh could be seen pointing his country-made pistol at the policeman on the Jaffrabad-Maujpur road. The incident was from 24 February when violence was at its peak in northeast Delhi. However, the gunman managed to escape Delhi as senior officials remained caught up in controlling the rioting. Speaking about the arrested accused, Singhla said that Shahrukh is interested in modelling and makes Tik Tok videos. He added that he has studied till the second year of undergrad and now is involved in a business. A report by The Indian Express also said that_,_ Shahrukh’s father is local drug peddler who has been arrested by district police several times and has been under scanner of local police. He is also reportedly a close relative of criminal Irfan alias Chhenu Pehalwan (35), who is currently in jail. Earlier too reports had suggested that Shahrukh had been held, however, Delhi Police later denied such reports. Meanwhile, Authorities said the situation has been peaceful for the last six days. According to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, 79 houses and 327 shops were completely gutted in arson during the violence last week. Besides this, 168 houses suffered substantial and 40 minor damage due to arson, Sisodia said, citing figures available till Monday evening following a survey by officials. On Tuesday, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said that over 98 per cent attendance was recorded in the class 12 board exam held in violence-affected northeast Delhi.