Former BJYM leader has been arrested

A 22-year-old who was critically injured on February 23, when an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protest in Aligarh turned violent, succumbed to gunshot injuries on Friday night. A former leader of the Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) — the youth wing of the BJP — has been arrested in this regard, while two other accused are on the run.

Mohd. Tariq Munawwar was on ventilator support since March 10. “Tariq had developed multiple complications. The bullet had pierced through his liver, damaged the portal vein and was lodged in the spinal chord. As a result, the lower half of his body was already paralysed,” said Haris Khan, Medical Superintendent, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical Hospital and College. “The body was taken away by the police and the post-mortem was carried out in the government hospital. The bullet could be retrieved now,” he told The Hindu.

Munawwar’s relatives demanded immediate arrest of the other two accused and compensation from the State government.

Earlier, the district administration had announced a compensation of ₹3 lakh to Munawwar.

Local sources said Aligarh remained tense of Friday as the market in the Babri Mandi area, where the incident happened, remained shut.

Abhishek, Superintendent of Police (City), Aligarh, said post-mortem has been done but refused to share any details. “Sector scheme has been imposed in the city, as a precationary measure. In a couple of areas, the situation is tense but under control.” He said Vinay Varshney, a former office-bearer of BJYM, has already been arrested in this case. “The other two, Sunder and Triloki, will also be arrested on the basis of evidence.”