Probing attack, Delhi police look at those who trolled Umar Khalid

A senior officer said the case was transferred after Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik held several rounds of meeting with senior officers. A range of issues, including the ongoing sedition case against Khalid, were discussed, the officer said. The PhD scholar was charged with sedition for participating in a meeting where alleged anti-national slogans raised on the JNU campus on February 9, 2016.

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Allegations made by Khalid on death threats from gangster Ravi Pujari also figured in the discussion among police officers. “It was then decided to transfer the case to the Special Cell as they had earlier solved several cases related to the gangster,” the officer said.

The accused fled after the pistol slipped off his hands. (Express photo/Renuka Puri)

According to sources, after scanning CCTV footage from the area, police showed video grabs of the suspect to three of Khalid’s friends, and they identified him as the assailant.

Sources said police have also started preparing a list of people who had issued threats to Khalid or wished him ill online. “If required, some of them could be approached for questioning,” an officer said. Police believe the assailant knew Khalid’s schedule, and was also familiar with the topography of the area.

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Police called experts from a mobile company to procure dump data — or mass collection of mobile phone data. “Police have also decided to seek help from the Delhi Metro and are sending them letters for CCTV footage,” the officer said.

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Initial investigation has revealed that the man tried to fire the pistol, but the weapon “jammed” and he started running. “He fell down outside the INS building after he crossed the road, where the pistol fell from his hand. We are probing if it fired,” a senior police officer said.