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Shahdara MLA Jitender Singh Shunty shot at outside residence, but escapes unhurt

BJP?s Jitender Singh Shunty says attacker had approached him for attestation of document.

Shahdara MLA Jitender Singh Shunty shot at outside residence, but escapes unhurt

On Wednesday morning, BJP MLA from Shahdara Jitender Singh Shunty was attacked by an unidentified gunman who fired at least four shots at him. Shunty, however, managed to dodge the bullets, which hit the walls of his house in Jhilmil Colony, East Delhi.

Police said the attacker fled, but was spotted by several residents of the area while he was leaving in a Hyundai Verna, parked slightly away from Shunty?s residence.

At the time of the incident, the MLA?s two personal security guards from the Punjab Police were sleeping inside the house.

The shooting was captured on a CCTV camera installed in the area by Shunty a year ago. Police have taken the CCTV footage but the image, investigating officers said, is highly grainy. The CCTV footage shows the gunman checking his pistol near Shunty?s house, just seconds before he knocks on the door, police said.

Around 5.20 am, a young man knocked on his door, for his signature to attest a document, Shunty said while speaking to reporters minutes after the incident.

Shunty said he opened the door and met the man, who seemed to be in mid-30s and was wearing a helmet. The man claimed he had an early morning interview for which the attestation was urgent.

?I asked him if I could go through the documents, but the assailant held me by my collar instead. Before I could react, I saw him pull out a pistol from his pocket. I pushed him and immediately ran inside the house. The automatic door closed and so the bullets missed me,? Shunty told reporters.

The bullets hit the wall and the window panes of Shunty?s house. His son Manish told Newsline that he was woken up by the sound of the gunshots.

He said he rushed downstairs and saw his father panting.

?When I heard the sound, I knew it was a gunshot. Fortunately, my father escaped unhurt. A shopkeeper who had just opened his shop saw the assailant get into a Hyundai Verna. He told us that the car had a Haryana registration number. The Punjab Police guards were sleeping because their duty starts at 8 am. Those who are involved in the attack were fully aware that my father wakes up early for a walk,? Manish said.

The district DCP and Joint CP of the range visited Shunty?s house to inspect the crime scene. Several teams have been formed to identify the assailant.

Shunty told police that the gunman spoke in a Haryanvi dialect. Police have recovered the gunman?s helmet from a nearby park, adjacent to the spot where the car had reportedly been parked.

A case of attempt to murder has been registered at the Vivek Vihar police station. ?We are conducting the investigation at a swift pace. We have provided additional security to him after the incident,? DCP (East) Ajay Kumar said.

Along with the East district police, other units of the Delhi Police are probing the case.

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First published on: 04-09-2014 at 06:09 IST
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