Andhra Pradesh legislator and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi was injured when assailants opened fire at him here Saturday, sparking tension in the old city of Hyderabad. His condition was reported to be stable at a hospital.Another MIM legislator, Ahmed Balala, was also injured when he tried to save Owaisi.One of the assailants was shot dead and two others were injured by the legislator's security guards.A profusely bleeding Owaisi, who is the MIM floor leader in the state assembly, was rushed to the Owaisi Hospital in Santosh Nagar.State Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy quoted doctors at the hospital as saying that Owaisi's condition was stable.Earlier, Additional Inspector General of Police A.R. Anuradha also told reporters outside the hospital that his condition was stable."He is stable. Doctors are monitoring him carefully. We are sure he will come out safely," she said while trying to pacify angry MIM activists.As tension gripped the old city, shopkeepers downed the shutters and buses went off the roads.Director General of Police K. Aravinda Rao said adequate forces have been deployed to maintain law and order."The situation is under control and we are not expecting any serious trouble," he said.According to doctors at the hospital, three bullets were removed from Owaisi's body while another surgery is likely later in the evening to remove a fourth bullet.The attack took place around 11.30 a.m. when Owaisi was visiting his Chandrayangutta assembly constituency in the old city area of Hyderabad.According to witnesses, four to five people attacked Owaisi with knives when he was getting into his vehicle after attending a meeting in Barkas neighbourhood.As an injured Owaisi tried to take to the steering wheel, attackers opened fire at him.His party colleague and legislator Balala rushed to Owaisi's rescue. Hyderabad News
