A 22-year-old man’s murder in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district sparked widespread protests, with markets remaining shut and the Palia-Farrukhabad highway blocked for nearly eight hours. Protesters demanded the demolition of the accused’s house and ₹1 crore compensation for the victim’s family.
The victim, Gautam Maurya, was allegedly stabbed to death by Sameer Ali and his associates on Friday night. According to police, the murder was triggered by Maurya uploading a photograph of himself with the accused’s sister on Instagram on July 12. The accused also uploaded an Instagram status featuring the victim’s photograph after the murder.
The accused was injured in an alleged police encounter after attacking a team that took him to recover the murder weapon. Police fired in self-defence, and a bullet hit his right leg, according to Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit.
The incident triggered protests outside the Kant police station on Saturday, where the victim’s family staged a sit-in. Members of several Hindu organisations joined the protest, leading to a market shutdown and a highway blockade. Security personnel dispersed some protesters who attempted to target shops belonging to members of another community.
Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit and other senior officials eventually persuaded the protesters to lift the highway blockade. The victim’s last rites were performed on Sunday morning amid heavy security. The protesters’ demand for ₹1 crore compensation for the victim’s family has been forwarded to the state government.
The police are closely monitoring social media and have warned of strict action against those posting communal or inflammatory content.
