Abdul Malik Mohammed Yunus Isa, the former mayor of Maharashtra’s Malegaon city and a prominent leader of Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party, was shot at by two unidentified assailants in Nashik district on Monday morning.
According to the police, the incident took place around 1:20 am when Malik was sitting outside a shop on the Old Agra Road. Two people on a motorbike allegedly fired three rounds at the AIMIM leader.
Malik was rushed to a nearby hospital, where his condition is said to be stable, reported news agency PTI.
Reportedly, he suffered wounds on his chest and leg.
The police have registered a case against the two unidentified persons under relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including 307 (attempt to murder). However, no arrests have been made so far.
Further investigation is underway, the police said.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the attack was a “conspiracy” and urged Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and the police to take immediate steps.
“AIMIM Malegaon president & former mayor Abdul Malik was shot thrice last night. He has been taken to Nashik for treatment. I spoke to his brother Dr. Khalid on phone. We stand firmly with Abdul Malik’s family. @mieknathshinde @DGPMaharashtra must take immediate steps. This is a conspiracy and the murderers should be arrested as soon as possible,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In February this year, AIMIM leader Abdul Salam was shot dead by unidentified assailants shot dead in Bihar’s Gopalganj district. The incident took place when Salam, who unsuccessfully contested the by-poll to the Gopalganj assembly seat in November 2022, was on his way to catch a train when four assailants on two motorcycles fired on him as he was riding a pillion with a relative.
Salam was the second AIMIM leader to be shot dead within a few months. In December, AIMIM’s district president from Bihar’s Siwan was shot dead in the state.