A day after shots were fired at All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi's vehicle near a toll-plaza in Uttar Pradesh, the central government reviewed his security and provided him with Z category security of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with immediate effect, news agency ANI reported, quoting sources.
Owaisi was en route to Delhi after attending an event in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut when the incident took place.
However, a source close to Owaisi said that he had not received any call from the Ministry of Home Affairs yet, but was likely to decline the security cover, The Hindu reported.
Meanwhile, two men, Sachin and Shubham, have been arrested for the attack, the police said on Friday, 4 February.
Superintendent of Police, Hapur, Deepak Bhuker was quoted as saying by ANI, “Two persons have been arrested for firing on AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s convoy while he was returning to Delhi after campaigning in Uttar Pradesh. The investigation is underway.”
Meanwhile, Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel has announced that AIMIM units will hold silent protests across the country on Friday.
Several shops in Hyderabad had shut down their shutters, and had raised black flags along with AIMIM flags on Thursday evening, in condemnation of the incident.
According to the officials, the two persons arrested told the police that they carried out the act upon being hurt by purportedly "anti-Hindu statements" of Owaisi.
Taking to Twitter, Owaisi had shared a visual of the bullets on his car and written that four rounds were fired. He added:
"There were 3-4 people, all of them ran away and left the weapons there. My car got punctured, but I got out in another car and left. We are all safe. Alhamdu'lilah."
The incident came ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, which are slated to take place early this month.
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