Ahmed Iqbal Jahangir, a native of Hyderabad was one of the victims of the Christchurch hate crime attack in New Zealand. Iqbal suffered two injuries: one bullet got lodged in his chest and another pierced the shoulder, according to his brother, Mohammed Khursheed Jahangir.
Speaking to TNM on Saturday, Khursheed said that Iqbal has undergone one surgery, “We are touch in with his neighbours and locals in New Zealand. According to them, they removed the bullet from his chest. Another surgery for the collarbone is yet to happen. He is stable now.”
Khursheed also said that the New Zealand Embassy was extremely cooperative and thanked them. He also thanked the Indian Embassy for expediting his visa. Khursheed will be travelling to New Zealand on Saturday.
However, the authorities have cordoned off the hospital without letting others inside, Khursheed says. “His wife is also not allowed into the hospital,” he shares.
Iqbal Jahangir was one among the several devotees who were attacked with gun by a white terrorist, Brenton Tarrant, identified as a native of Australia. The father of two runs a restaurant in New Zealand. On Friday, he went to offer prayers at Al Noor mosque in Christchurch.
49 were killed in the terrorist gun attack on Friday. Tarrant attacked two mosques aiming at the devotees, and live streamed the video from the camera mounted on his gun.
Hours after the attack, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi learned that a Hyderabad native was also injured in the attack. Taking to Twitter, he requested the Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj to expedite Khursheed’s visa process so he could go to New Zealand to take care of his brother.
Shortly, the MEA authorities reached out to Asaduddin. Thanking them, Asad wrote, “I’d like to thank @SushmaSwaraj for personally updating me about MEA’s efforts in assisting Ahmed’s and Ahsan’s families reach NZ in time. We are in touch with @MEAIndiaMEA & they have assured us that they’re making all efforts to get the visa process expedited.”
UPDATE: I’d like to thank @SushmaSwaraj for personally updating me about MEA’s efforts in assisting Ahmed’s & Ahsan’s families reach NZ in time
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 15, 2019
We are in touch with @MEAIndiaMEA & they have assured us that they’re making all efforts to get the visa process expedited https://t.co/pJ2O8a4BgL
Another Hyderabadi, Farhaj Ashan, is also missing after the terror attack. His family heard from him before he left to the Noor mosque near his home for Friday prayers. He is one among the nine Indians who are presumed missing after the terror attack.