Agra: The killing of a Muslim man outside a restaurant on Shilpgram Road in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra late Wednesday night has spiralled into a bitter controversy linked to Tuesday’s terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
At around midnight, Gulfam, a 27‑year‑old restaurant waiter was shot dead by three men riding a scooter. An employee of a neighbouring dhaba, Saif Ali (25) was also injured in the firing. Within hours of the incident, a self‑proclaimed “gau rakshak” claimed on social media that the killing was “retribution” for the Pahalgam attack.
In a video clip, which is being heavily circulated, the man, accompanied by another individual, can be heard identifying themselves as members of a “Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal”, and claiming responsibility for the act, with guns and knives tucked around their waist.
This was followed by claims on social media that the victim was asked his name and religion before being shot dead.
Tajganj Police, however, have dismissed the revenge angle as “fake news”. The Agra Police Commissionerate’s X handle posted Thursday night that investigators had “found no evidence of any cow protection outfit of that name operating in Agra, nor did Gulfam’s three companions mention any such threat”.
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE AGRA (@agrapolice) April 24, 2025
In a separate post, the police added that Gulfam’s cousin, Saif, who was injured in the firing, confirmed that the victim was not asked his name or religion. The police have also advised people to not believe or spread any fake narratives about the incident.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Tajganj) Areeb Ahmed, preliminary inquiry has suggested that the killing stemmed from “a dispute over food quality” between the victim and the assailants earlier in the evening. An FIR under Sections 101 (murder) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) has been registered, and six police teams are scanning CCTV footage and border checkpoints to trace the trio.
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— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE AGRA (@agrapolice) April 24, 2025
Ahmed said that the two individuals in the video clip claiming responsibility for the murder have been identified, adding that one has been taken into custody and the other will be arrested soon.
In a separate video statement, ACP (Cyber Cell) Sukanya Sharma warned social‑media users against propagating the “Pahalgam revenge” narrative, calling it a deliberate bid to stoke communal tension. “The so‑called Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal shown in viral videos has no organisational presence in Agra. Any account amplifying unverified claims will face legal action under the IT Act,” she said. Cyber sleuths have already flagged half‑a‑dozen handles for spreading incendiary content, officials told The Print.
Sources at the S.N. Medical College, where Gulfam was taken after the firing, confirmed that he suffered a close‑range gunshot wound and was “brought dead”. Saif remains stable after the removal of a bullet lodged in his shoulder.
Forensic teams recovered three spent cartridges at the crime scene. Police have circulated sketches based on eyewitness descriptions. The shooters are in their early 20s and fled towards Fatehabad Road after the firing.
Meanwhile, community leaders have urged for calm. The Hindustani Biradari, an interfaith citizens’ group, said that it would deploy volunteers to counter disinformation. Police expect to make “breakthrough arrests within 48 hours”, ACP Ahmed said, adding that “every angle, including communal provocation, remains on the table until the suspects are caught”.
The incident has reignited the debate over Agra’s night‑time patrol, especially in the Shilpgram‑Taj East Gate corridor, which is heavily frequented by tourists. US Vice President J.D. Vance and his family had visited the area and Taj Mahal earlier that morning.
Shahid Ali, owner of the restaurant where Gulfam worked, demanded permanent beat patrol and CCTV upgradation. “Tourist footfall is just picking up after a long time. Such incidents near the Taj tarnish the city’s image,” he told The Print.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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