Duo claims responsibility for Umar attack in video

NEW DELHI: A video surfaced on Thursday in which two men are seen claiming responsibility for allegedly attacking Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) PHD scholar Umar Khalid.

Khalid was allegedly attacked outside Constitution Club on Monday, with some eyewitnesses claiming that they had heard a gunshot.

An unidentified man was later caught on CCTVS fleeing the spot.

In the video, which is 4 minutes and 31 seconds long, the two men — who identified themselves as Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal — claimed the attack was to be an “Independence Day gift” to Indians. While Khalid said that one of the two men seen in the video appeared to be the one who had attacked him, the Delhi Police maintained that they were still verifying the authenticity of the video as well as the claims made by the two men.

Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the veracity of the video can be established only after they have checked the exact source through which it was uploaded on social media. A senior police officer said investigators were in touch with their counterparts in Haryana and Punjab to nab the two men seen in the video. “We are trying to identify the men. The two have taken responsibility for the attack. But we want to be absolutely sure before making an official confirmation,” said the officer.

Responding to a text message, Khalid said, “I have a feeling it is the guy on the right, with the saffron robe. He has just shaved his stubble. The police should nab them and place them before us so that we can identify more properly.”

Police said one of the men, who identified himself as Naveen Dalal, had posted the video on his social media account at 2.04pm on Wednesday. “We respect our SC and Constitution. But there is no provision in our Constitution to punish mad dogs. By mad dogs, we mean the JNU gang that is making the country weaker and their number is increasing. Our elders in Haryana have taught us that such people should be taught a lesson,” Shahpur said in the video message.