Akbar hit with Cricket Bat after fall - Says Witness - Barkas Corporator

May 2, 2011 DC Correspondent Hyderabad.
Source: Deccan Chronicle

Mr Mansoor Bin Mohammed Awalgi, the Barkas corporator, who witnessed Saturday’s attack on the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi, said: “At around 10.30 am, I came to the Barkas office as Mr Owaisi was coming to meet me after completing the padayatra. Balala saab was also coming after inspecting a school. They arrived at the same time. After around half an hour they prepared to leave. Akbar saab sat in the front seat of his Gypsy. In the rear seat sat Jameel Nawab saab, a former corporator of Kanchanbagh and Samad Bin Abdad, the Uppugudu corporator. The vehicle of Balala saab was driven by his driver Saleem.”

“As the vehicles started to move, one of the attackers, Hassan Bin Omar Yafai, came on a Honda Activa scooter and dumped it in front of Akbar saab’s Gypsy to prevent it from moving. “Hasan attacked with the knife and Akbar saab was injured in his left hand as he resisted. Meanwhile, from the driver’s side, Abdullah Bin Younus Yafai armed with a revolver, opened fire at Akbar saab. The MLA’s driver Osman, put out his left hand forward to save Akbar saab and a bullet hit his left palm. Meanwhile, Akbar saab ducked to save himself but Abdullah Younus fired again hitting Akbar saab in the stomach and he pulled Osman out of vehicle. Abdullah fired a third time and hit Akbar saab again in the stomach.

“From the other side, Mohammed Bin Saleh Wahlan, also armed with a revolver fired at Akbar saab who had fallen out of the Gypsy by then. My brother, Mohammed Bin Mohammed Awalgi, sustained a bullet injury on the fingers of his left hand. One Fayaz Khan, son of Mohammed Kareem Khan, who came to Akbar saab’s rescue was also injured as a bullet grazed his stomach,” he added. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Bin Yousuf Yafai, armed with a knife, stabbed Mr Owaisi in his ribs. Another attacker, Awad Bin Younus Yafai attacked Mr Owaisi with a cricket bat. When one Mohsin Kaseri tried to prevent the attack, he was beaten on the head with the cricket bat.

“Then I came forward to prevent the attack on Akbar saab, however, I was hit with a cricket bat on my back. At the same time, Balala saab rushed to save Akbar saab and he caught hold of the revolver in the hands of Abdullah Bin Yousuf. Several other persons had gathered around the Gypsy by then to prevent Akbar saab from leaving the place. At that time Balala saab was also attacked. I heard gunfire. Later, Akbar saab was picked up from the road and placed in the front seat of the Gypsy.”

Those who witnessed Saturday’s attack on the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi, said that the assailants did not back off even after he fell off the jeep with bullet and knife injuries.

The attackers even prevented Mr Owaisi’s aides to remove him from the spot.

Mr Owaisi ducked inside the jeep but the attackers followed him and two shooters pumped bullets into him from two sides.Mr Mansoor Bin Mohammed Awalgi, the Barkas corporator, who witnessed the incident, said the assailant concentrated on Mr Owaisi. Two men armed with revolvers shot at him while one armed with a butcher knife and another with a cricket bat attacked him.

If the security officer of the MLA, Mr Ahmed Balala, Mr Mohammed Jani, hadn’t returned the assailants’ fire, the outcome of the incident would have been totally different. Thanks to Mr Jani, the attackers backed away from Mr Owaisi and he was quickly lifted from the car and rushed to the hospital.

Source: Deccan Chronicle