In his neighbourhood, shooter finds support and strict censure

NEW DELHI: Even as they called his act “unwarranted” and “unjustified”, the family members of 23-year-old Kapil Gujjar, who on Saturday opened fire near the Shaheen Bagh protest site, on Sunday said they will provide him all legal succour to secure his bail.

They said he may have been “carried away” by news reports and videos on social media related to the anti-citizenship (Amendment) Act agitation at Shaheen Bagh, and the problems they claimed people have been facing due to it.

“We all know that the demonstrations at Shaheen Bagh have been affecting the public and businesspersons like us. However, this does not mean we should take the law into our hands and indulge in something unlawful. What my son did is not justified. But I cannot let my son remain in jail for his first mistake. I will provide him all legal assistance,” said Gujjar’s father Choudhary Gaje Singh, a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, who fought Delhi Assembly and councillor elections on the party’s ticket in 2008 and 2012.

Sitting outside his home in Dallupura village with his neighbours and relatives, Singh said he quit politics two years ago and has not been associated with any political organisation since. Singh claimed that though he has not spoken to his son after he had arrested by the police, his act was not “intended to establish himself in politics”.

“My son did not show any interest in politics. After leaving politics, my two sons and I are into our dairy business. We own a gaushala in Ghazipur. My two sons assist me in supplying milk to parts of the city and manage the business,” added Singh.

Married three years ago and father of a two-year-old girl, Gujjar lived in a three-storey building with his family. Apart from the family’s business, Gujjar’s father also works in real estate.

Neighbours were, however, divided on Gujjar’s act

Some defended him saying that many youngsters in their neighbourhood feel the same “anger” against the Shaheen Bagh protesters, while some said his mistake had ruined his family’s image. However, none of them wanted to be identified.

“How can a group of people seize a public space in the name of protest and cause problems for commuters. Many of us are enraged because of the protest. But we cannot indulge in acts similar to what Gujjar did,” a local grocery shop owner said.

Condemning Gujjar’s act, another neighbour said, “His family has a reputation. His illegal act has not only landed him in serious legal trouble, but also ruined his father’s image.”