Lucknow youth’s death in CAA protests triggers controversy, family demands justice

Lucknow: The death of 25-year-old Mohammad Wakeel in Thursday’s violent protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act in Lucknow has created a major controversy.

His family has said that Wakeel was not part of the protest and they would not bury his body until justice was done to him.

“He has left behind a seven-month pregnant wife and six younger siblings. He was the sole breadwinner of the family and was an e-rickshaw driver. He had gone out to buy vegetables and medicines and we were informed from his mobile in the evening that he is in hospital,” said his father Sharfuddin.

Wakeel received a bullet injury in his stomach and succumbed in hospital on Thursday evening.

The father said: “Apparently, when he got stuck around Satkhanda area where the protesters were being pushed back. He ran into a lane to save himself and got shot. We were told that he had been shot from point blank range.

The King George’s Medical University (KGMU) trauma centre faculty in-charge, Sandeep Tiwari said: “Wakeel was brought in with a gunshot injury in his abdomen. He died while treatment. It is not confirmed who brought him here at the medical facility and where he was brought from, but it was during the time the protests were going on in the city.”

The family will raise the issue of Wakeel’s death after Friday prayers and this could trigger another round of protests.

“We will definitely protest in a peaceful manner. An innocent man has been killed and the family has been orphaned. The government cannot shirk off its responsibility,” said a cleric who requested anonymity.

Superintendent of Police, Lucknow, Kalanidhi Naithani, confirmed that the youth has died of gunshot injuries, but said police did not fire anywhere during the protests. “We will probe how, when and what circumstances the man suffered gunshot that took his life,” he said.

IANS