Commotion in Shaheen Bagh as man brandishes pistol, is chased out

The incident took place around 2.50 pm, when 60-70 men tried to open the barricades, police said.

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Police said they are probing the matter based on a video. Armond Feffer

The protest site at Shaheen Bagh witnessed commotion Tuesday, when a group of men attempted to enter and remove barricades. They were chased out by protesters after one of the men allegedly whipped out a pistol, police said.

The incident took place around 2.50 pm, when 60-70 men tried to open the barricades, police said. “The men were from the locality. They were aggrieved by the lockdown at Shaheen Bagh and got into an argument with protesters,” police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Chinmoy Biswal told The Indian Express, “A group of 60-70 men were at the site. They were residents of the area and have no political links as alleged by the protesters. Some men from the group tried entering the stage and an argument ensued. No complaint has been filed.”

A senior police officer said that the licenced pistol “belongs to one Mohd Luqman, but was brandished by someone else”. Biswal said that while police have not received a complaint, they are probing the matter based on a video.

While police claimed the protesters did not wish to speak to the men, who demanded the opening of the carriageway, protesters claimed they invited the men for a dialogue, but they refused and demanded an immediate stop to the protests.

Eyewitnesses claimed that around 2.50 pm, they heard the group arguing with protesters. “Two men came up to the stage and started arguing with us. They said we are causing them huge inconvenience. I asked them to sit with us and talk. Instead, they hurled abuses at us and one man whipped out a pistol. The women chased them out,” said Sakina, an eyewitness.

As the men were chased out, the male protesters formed a human chain, while the women stayed inside the makeshift tent. Police said they are not planning on bolstering security in the area as there was no “perceivable threat to the protest site as outsiders barely ventured into the area”.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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