Lucknow/Saharanpur: Police have recovered the car used in the attack on Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad, who was discharged from hospital on Thursday, a day after he was shot at by unidentified assailants in Deoband.
The police are also investigating a death threat issued to the Dalit leader on Facebook, warning that "he will not survive next time".
After he was discharged from the Saharanpur district hospital, the 36-year-old Bhim Army chief said he is feeling better and his blood pressure is stable.
"I am taking medicine for the pain and hope that I will be fine in the next two-three days," he said.
Earlier, in a note posted on Twitter, Aazad demanded Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation, claiming his government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion.
A bullet grazed the abdomen of Aazad, who is also the president of the Azad Samaj Party, when unidentified assailants fired "four shots" at his SUV in Saharanpur's Deoband on Wednesday evening. He had gone there to attend a ritual at a supporter's home.
The car used by Aazad's attackers was seized from Miragpur village in Saharanpur late on Wednesday night. Its number plate showed it is registered in Haryana, the police said.
On a complaint lodged by Aazad's aide Manish Kumar, an FIR has been registered in connection with the attack under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act at the Deoband police station, they said.
Taking note of a death threat issued by a Facebook page called 'Kshatriya of Amethi' to Aazad days before the attack, the Amethi police have registered a case at the Gauriganj police station.
The police have taken cognisance of the post on Facebook page 'Kshatriya of Amethi' and registered a case against unidentified persons under Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the IT Act, said Mayank Dwivedi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Gauriganj.
A post shared five days ago on the page stated that Aazad would be killed by the Thakurs of Amethi at a road crossing in broad daylight.
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Another post shared on the page on Thursday said Aazad was shot in the waist but "he will not survive next time". Aazad is a very clever man, he needs security and a bulletproof vehicle and jacket, it said.
It also warned that there will be a big movement if any innocent Rajput is framed for the attack.
In his note on Twitter, Aazad alleged the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is worsening and "government-backed" criminals are in high spirits.
"My 56-inch chest is real, not fake. The fatal attack on me is a failure of the government because the security of the people of the state is the responsibility of the government and I am also a responsible citizen of the state," he said.
The chief minister should take moral responsibility for protecting criminals and resign immediately, he added.
Aazad said what happened with him could happen to the chief of any other political party or their supporters.
"There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is getting worse and secondly, the government is providing protection to criminals on the basis of caste and religion. Due to this, the government-backed criminals are in high spirits. Today, they neither fear the law nor the police," he charged.
In Lucknow, Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party activists handed over to a government official a memorandum addressed to the governor demanding that Aazad's security be stepped up.
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Some supporters of the Bhim Army chief also raised slogans against the attack at Parivartan Chowk in Lucknow and were later taken into custody by police.
Azad Samaj Party's media in-charge Ajay Gautam told PTI that memorandums demanding Z-plus security for Aazad will be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Following the attack on Wednesday, Aazad, who hails from Ghadkhauli village in Saharanpur, was taken to a community health centre and later shifted to the district hospital.
In a video message on Wednesday night, he appealed to his supporters to remain calm and said he would keep fighting constitutionally.
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(Press Release) - In continuation with the sustained efforts to empower our sales force and ensure seamless services to policyholders digitally, on a 24 x 7 basis, LIC today unveils the “One Man Office” (OMO) online service through its Agents. Through the One Man Office, LIC aims to provide a comprehensive digital ecosystem for its sales force consisting of Agents, Development Officers, Senior Business Associates, Chief Life Insurance Advisors, LIC Associates and Chief Organizer to aid in their day to day operations, strengthen their efficiency and productivity and ensuring better services to our customers. The service has been launched on 17-02-2025. Speaking on the occasion, Shri. Siddhartha Mohanty, CEO & MD, LIC of India, said it will be a vital tool at the hands of the sales force to promote life insurance and render service to LIC’s customers anytime and anywhere. It will be a shot in the arm for achieving the objective of ‘Insurance for All by 2047’.
OMO aims to aid our agents in digital sale of policies, after sales servicing for the customers for different types of services, tracking their business and act as a training cum knowledge pool for them. In short, it is a mobile digital office at the hands of sales force and plans to evolve as an easy-to-use one stop solution for all business and servicing needs, which will be available through their mobile phones, thus making them truly Atma Nirbhar in every sense.
These services are offered through the ANANDA (Atma Nirbhar Agents New Business Digital Application) platform for onboarding of customers and will have features like Premium calculator, benefit illustration, E-NACH registration, change of address, online loan request, renewal premium payments, claim related requirement submission etc. It will also have a knowledge centre, various insurance and health related calculators, office locator, NEFT search etc. for assisting Agents to help the customers.
LIC plans to add further features to this application in phases to cater to the changing needs of the users.
Dated at Mumbai on February 17th , 2025
For Further Information please contact: Executive Director (CC), LIC of India, Central Office, Mumbai.
Email id: ed_cc@licindia.com
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