“I Thought of Gauri Lankesh”: Umar Khalid After Escaping Bullet

An unknown assailant wearing a white shirt fired at Umar Khalid outside Delhi’s Constitution Club.

Umar Khalid escaped a gun attack outside Constitution Club of India.

(Photo: The Quint)

Minutes after JNU student leader Umar Khalid escaped unharmed after being shot at by an unknown assailant outside the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, on Monday, 13 August, he told The Quint that he thought his “Gauri Lankesh moment” had arrived.

I was very scared at that moment when he pointed that gun at me. That moment I was being reminded of what happened to Gauri Lankesh. I thought that moment has arrived. I am very thankful for my friends who overpowered him and my life was saved.

Umar Khalid

Speaking to The Quint, he said although the attempt to kill him ahead of an event organised against hate crimes was “ironic”, it was not surprising.

For the last two years, there has been such disinformation, propaganda and a hateful campaign that has been spread across by certain media houses and troll armies of the ruling government, where anyone who opposes the present government or questions the policies of the present government is branded anti-national.

Was Here to Protest Against Hate Crimes: Khalid

The student leader was at the venue to attend an event titled 'Khauff Se Azaadi' (Freedom from Fear), organised by an organisation named 'United Against Hate'.

He said the primary motive of the gathering was to demand freedom from terror in the form of lynchings and hate crimes.

For more updates on the case, click here.