Accused Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal. (File) Accused Darwesh Shahpur and Naveen Dalal. (File) Naveen Dalal, the man arrested for allegedly attacking JNU student Umar Khalid, wanted to become a wrestler and compete for the country but was forced to quit the sport because of an injury. He then became a bouncer in a bar in Haryana, before getting involved in cow protection in his village, Mandhoti, police have learnt during questioning. Dalal and the other accused Darwesh Shahpur, who was also arrested Monday, were connected to unrecognised cow protection outfits but would collect donation in the name of cow protection before their arrest. Officials of the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Dalal and Shahpur, both in their 20s, from Fatehabad in Haryana, for allegedly attacking Khalid outside the Constitution Club on August 13. On Tuesday, they were produced before a court, which sent them to two-day police custody. Police said both have refused to participate in the test identification parade. Dalal, who dropped out of a Rohtak college, used to practice in an akhara in his village. He told police he was injured during a practice match. “There are various unrecognised groups and organisation in some parts of Haryana which collect donation from people in the name of cow protection and cow shelters. Our teams are trying to ascertain which groups they belong to,” said an officer. Police said Shahpur, who was also present outside Constitution Club at the time, drove an app-based cab for a few months after finishing Class XII. Before that, he used to deliver milk in his village. Police said both Dalal and Shahpur are married and live with their families. They became friends three years ago during an event related to cow protection. During interrogation, they revealed that they threw away their mobile phones before they were arrested Monday. They recorded two videos using their phones — in Jind and in Gurgaon — before that. Both videos were uploaded on Facebook. In the second video, they had reiterated that they had attacked Khalid. They had also said the attack was an Independence Day gift for the nation. They also told police that they came to Constitution Club on a two-wheeler — a departure from their earlier claim that they reached the spot in a bus. Police said they have sent teams to locations from where they claim to have procured the gun Dalal was carrying and the two-wheeler. Police said Dalal owns a second-hand Santro, which he handed over to an acquaintance after the attack. Police suspect the two-wheeler belonged to Shahpur. Start your day the best way with the Express Morning Briefing For all the latest Delhi News, download Indian Express App

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