'It was a mistake'; BJP expels Shaheen Bagh gunman Kapil Gurjar hours after induction

Days before the Delhi Assembly elections in February, the police had said evidence from Gurjar's phone established that the shooter had joined the Aam Aadmi Party only a year ago along with his father.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday expelled Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gurjar hours after he joined the party for its 'Hindutva' agenda. Gurjar was part of a group of BSP workers who joined the BJP today.

Speaking to media earlier, Gurjar had said that he has joined the BJP because "the party works to promote Hindutva agendas".

The Shaheen Bagh gunman

Gurjar, the owner of a local dairy business, had shot to fame in February, this year, for opening fire in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh locality during the nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Hailing from Dallu Pura area in East Delhi, Gurjar had on February 1 fired three bullets in the air after warning the anti-CAA demonstrators to disperse from the protest site. The incident took place just days after a man fired his pistol on a group of anti CAA protesters in the area, injuring a student from the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi.

After firing the shots he had told media that no one but only the Hindus will get what they want in this nation.

He had also shouted communal slogans. He was arrested by Delhi Police soon after the incident and released on bail later.

Gurjar's controversial association with AAP

Just days before the Delhi Assembly elections, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo had informed reporters that Gujjar was associated with the Aam Aadmi Party. According to Deo, photographs recovered from Gujjar's phone established that he had joined the Arvind Kejriwal's party a year ago along with his father.

Deo's statement had entangled the BJP and AAP in a war-of-words controversy, owing to which the Election Commission had to take off the Deputy Commissioner from poll duty and warned from making further comments about any investigation with "political connotations".

Later, Gujjar's father claimed that his son is a "supporter" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

His father also added that Gujjar had "nothing to do with politics".

Ghaziabad district head demanded explanation

However, Gurjar was expelled from the BJP within hours as reports of the development reached the party's senior leadership. Party sources informed reporters that the senior leadership has chided the Ghaziabad officials and demanded an explanation from them.

But the Ghaziabad district head of the BJP has reportedly stated the seniors that he had no knowledge of Gurjar's background and had welcomed him into the party by mistake.

"Kapil Gurjar was part of a group of BSP workers who joined BJP today. We had no knowledge about his association with the Shaheen Bagh issue," said Sanjeev Sharma, President of the Ghaziabad BJP, as reported by news agency ANI.