Tension swamped the city after Abdul Malik Mohammed Yunus Isa, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and former Malegaon Mayor, was shot at by two unidentified bike-borne assailants at 1.20 a.m. on May 27.
The incident occurred when Mr. Isa was outside a shop in the Malegaon section of the Mumbai–Agra Highway and suffered bullet wounds to the chest, right hand and left thigh. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and then transferred to a private hospital in Nashik, 100 km from Malegaon.
“The law and order situation of Malegaon has become dangerous in the last few days. In the past as well, firing incidents have happened but the police department never arrested the real culprits,” claimed Malegaon Central MLA and AIMIM leader Mohammed Ismail Abdul Khalique, also known as Mufti Mohammed Ismail Qasmi.
“Such firing situations in Malegaon happen every two to four months and the culprits are not arrested. Are those responsible for the law and order sleeping? Is it a Jungle Raj here?” he asked.
Casting aspersions, he claimed that the attack was a political one and said that if the assailants were not arrested by Tuesday morning, the party would have an internal discussion to chalk out the next steps.
“The police should have immediately arrested the accused by sealing the crucial points. Instead, the police came in big numbers to the hospital,” Mr. Khalique said.
Mr. Khalique also claimed that the assailants attacked without any fear as they had not covered their faces at the time of the attack and fired three rounds from a close distance of only seven feet.
Immediately after the attack, a crowd gathered at the incident spot as well as the hospital, leading to a tense situation within the textile city of Malegaon. However, no untoward cases were reported.
Asaduddin Owaisi, Member of Parliament and president of AIMIM, posted on X, “I spoke to his brother Dr. Khalid on phone. We stand firmly with Abdul Malik’s family. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and DGP Maharashtra must take immediate steps. This is a conspiracy and the murderers should be arrested as soon as possible.”
The local police registered a case of attempt to murder, along with other charges, against two unidentified persons.
