2 persons arrested for firing at ex-Malegaon mayor and AIMIM leader Abdul Malik

Nashik: Two persons have been arrested in connection with the firing at former Malegaon mayor and AIMIM functionary Abdul Malik Yunus Isa Sheikh in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, police said.

The incident, which took place in the wee hours of Monday on the Old Agra Road, was the fallout of a land deal, the police said on Tuesday without elaborating.

Sheikh (39) was seriously injured after two motorbike-borne persons attacked him and was hospitalised.

The incident was captured in the CCTV cameras installed in the area.

Based on it, the police on Tuesday arrested one Farooq Patel and his aide for allegedly firing at Sheikh and registered a case against them, Additional Superintendent of Police Aniket Bharti said at a press conference in Malegaon.

During interrogation, the accused told the police that the attack was the fallout of a land deal in Mhalde Shivar, as per officials.

A pistol, two live cartridges and the two-wheeler used in the attack were seized from the arrested persons, the police said.

Sheikh was sitting with some persons outside a building materials shop on the Old Agra Road when he was attacked, according to police.

The incident had led to tension in Malegaon and police stepped up security in the powerloom town.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA from Malegaon (Central), Mohammed Ismail Abdul Khalique, on Monday claimed the law-and-order situation in Malegaon has worsened in the last few days.

He also said he will raise the issue in the assembly and with the home department.