Umar Khalid case: Two men claim credit for attack
What's the story
Despite having caught JNU student leader Umar Khalid's attacker on camera, the Delhi Police, so far, have failed to identify the man. Now, they're hoping that the phone number used to send threatening messages to activist Shehla Rashid and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani will provide a lead. Meanwhile, a video has surfaced showing two men claiming credit for the attack. Here are the details.
Threatening texts
All the texts point towards the involvement of Ravi Poojary
Threatening messages were sent to Shehla Rashid and Jignesh Mevani in June and August respectively. Rashid received a text threatening herself, Mevani, and Umar Khalid, allegedly from mafia don Ravi Poojary. Mevani had received a similar text, that had warned that harm would come to Khalid. Notably, Poojary had sent death threats to Khalid earlier in June, and in February 2016.
Twitter Post
The death threat sent to Shehla Rashid
Meanwhile, got this death threat from right-wing Hindutvawadi fundamentalist Ravi Poojary. He warns Umar Khalid, Jignesh Mevani and me to shut up!
— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) August 13, 2018
Threat by SMS #DigitalIndia pic.twitter.com/NaC0m3nb5M
Tracking
Special Cell trying to track on-the-move gangster Ravi Poojary
Reportedly, the Delhi Police's anti-terror unit, the Special Cell, is now looking into the number's country of origin and trying to trace whether it was registered abroad. Meanwhile, sources say that Poojary is on the move, and his location has been switching between Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand for the past few months. Poojary was last traced to Australia, but changes numbers frequently.
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The Special Cell has taken Khalid's statement
"I was called today to the Special Cell office...They again said they'll assess the threat and get back to me. With regard to this case, I was taken to the spot and made to recount the whole incident," Khalid told The Indian Express.
Video
Separately, two men have claimed credit in a video
Meanwhile, two men have claimed credit for the attack in a video, reported The Quint. "We, Darvesh Sapur and Naveen Dalal Mandothi, are responsible for the attack on Umar Khalid in Delhi. This attack was a gift from us this Independence Day," said the men, adding that "mad dogs" like Khalid should be put down. They also said that they'd surrender on August 17.
Video
The authenticity of the claims are being investigated
The aforementioned video is being widely circulated on WhatsApp and the police are currently investigating the authenticity of the claims. Meanwhile, an eyewitness to the attack, Banojyotsna Lahiri, has reportedly claimed that there are similarities in the facial features of one of the men in the video, and the attacker, who was caught on CCTV footage. She has also agreed to help in identification.