Supporter of Bajrang Dal, Jamia shooter had bought gun for Rs 10,000

The initial round of investigation into the Jamia firing incident has revealed that the teenage shooter was self-radicalised. He has told interrogators of Delhi Police that over the past two years he started reading incendiary posts on social media.

The shooter who opened fire in Jamia Nagar on Thursday has been sent to preventive custody for 14 days. According to the police, the shooter is being held as a juvenile on the basis of his Class 10 mark-sheet and Aadhaar card.

However, the police have moved the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) for a bone ossification test to verify the age of the accused. Once allowed, the age test will be done at RML Hospital in Delhi.

Sources say that the police won’t be able to question him for the next 14 days. "We have questioned him for 24 hours and based on the statement he has given, we will question people associated with him," said an officer.

The initial round of investigation into the Jamia firing incident has revealed that the teenage shooter was self-radicalised. He has told interrogators of Delhi Police that over the past two years he started reading incendiary posts on social media.

The shooter, who brandished a gun in front of Delhi Police personnel on Thursday and shot at a Jamia university student, has told interrogators that every day he would listen to speeches online and share offensive posts. During the questioning, sources say, there was no remorse by the shooter on the crime he committed.

In November 2019, he even took part in a protest in Jewar that was organised by the Bajrang Dal.

So far he has claimed that he went to Jamia University on his own and no one brainwashed him to fire at the protesters. Delhi Police officers are also talking to his family members and friends.

His family has claimed that over the past fortnight, they saw behavioural changes in him. The family members have also claimed that, of late, he had started shouting slogans at home and in the neighbourhood as well.

Earlier, he had also tried to gather his friends to take out a pro-CAA rally, but had failed.

The teenager has also claimed that the social media posts which showed him carrying a gun were put out to garner more likes on social media. The teenage shooter has said that he had no prior experience of firing a gun and bought the firearm from a friend for Rs 10,000. The police are in process to question the person who provided gun.

The injured student Shahdab Farooq, who was seen bleeding from his left hand, was discharged from the AIIMS on Friday afternoon.

Tension prevailed in Jamia Nagar on Thursday after the accused fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a Jamia Millia Islamia student before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting "Yeh lo aazadi" amid heavy police presence in the area. He was subsequently overpowered by police and taken into custody.

The case is being probed by the Crime Branch. A case of attempt to murder was registered and Arms Act was imposed against him.