The Crossbill Team
The fatal shooting of a 27-year-old Muslim waiter late Wednesday night in Agra has stirred controversy, after a subsequent social media post linked the killing to the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir.
Police officials, however, have refuted any communal angle, calling such claims fabricated and potentially inflammatory.
The victim, identified as Gulfam, was employed at a restaurant on Shilpgram Road near the Taj Mahal. He was shot dead around midnight by three unidentified assailants who fled the scene on a scooter. Another man, Saif Ali (25), who worked at a nearby dhaba, sustained a gunshot injury to the shoulder. He underwent surgery and is currently in stable condition.
Shortly after the incident, a video surfaced online featuring two individuals claiming to represent an outfit called the “Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal.” In the clip, the armed men claimed the shooting was an act of revenge for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, and suggested that Gulfam was targeted because of his religious identity.
The Agra Police Commissionerate swiftly dismissed the video’s claims. In an official statement posted on X Thursday night, the Commissionerate dismissed the claims as fake and inflammatory.
“No evidence has been found of any cow protection group by that name operating in Agra, nor did Gulfam’s three companions mention any such threat,” the post read.
The statement said investigations are ongoing and that all possible angles, including personal enmity, are being thoroughly examined.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Tajganj), Areeb Ahmed, confirmed that an FIR has been lodged under Sections 101 (murder) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Six police teams are reviewing CCTV footage and monitoring border checkpoints in a bid to apprehend the attackers. Ahmed also stated that the two individuals seen in the viral video have been identified, with one already in custody and the second expected to be arrested shortly.
In a separate statement, ACP (Cyber Cell) Sukanya Sharma warned the public against spreading unverified and communal content online. She described the “revenge” narrative as a calculated attempt to incite unrest and confirmed that several social media accounts have been flagged under the IT Act for circulating such misinformation.
Medical officials at S.N. Medical College confirmed that Gulfam had suffered a close-range gunshot wound and was declared dead upon arrival. Forensic teams recovered three spent cartridges from the scene. Eyewitnesses described the shooters as young men in their early 20s, who were last seen fleeing towards Fatehabad Road.
The incident has prompted fresh concerns about nighttime policing in the Shilpgram-Taj East Gate area, a corridor frequented by both locals and tourists. Earlier on Wednesday, US Vice President J.D. Vance and his family had visited the Taj Mahal, underscoring the global visibility of the location.
Shahid Ali, owner of the restaurant where Gulfam worked, has urged authorities to implement permanent beat patrols and upgrade CCTV surveillance in the vicinity.
“Tourist footfall is just picking up after a long time. Such incidents near the Taj tarnish the city’s image,” he told The Print.
Amid calls for calm, the interfaith citizens’ group Hindustani Biradari has announced plans to deploy volunteers to counter online disinformation and promote communal harmony. Police have assured that all angles—including the possibility of a communal motive—remain under scrutiny until the suspects are fully apprehended. Investigators expect significant progress in the case within the next 48 hours.
Police officials, however, have refuted any communal angle, calling such claims fabricated and potentially inflammatory.
The victim, identified as Gulfam, was employed at a restaurant on Shilpgram Road near the Taj Mahal. He was shot dead around midnight by three unidentified assailants who fled the scene on a scooter. Another man, Saif Ali (25), who worked at a nearby dhaba, sustained a gunshot injury to the shoulder. He underwent surgery and is currently in stable condition.
Shortly after the incident, a video surfaced online featuring two individuals claiming to represent an outfit called the “Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal.” In the clip, the armed men claimed the shooting was an act of revenge for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, and suggested that Gulfam was targeted because of his religious identity.
उत्तर प्रदेश के आगरा में 3 लोगों ने रेस्टोरेंट वर्कर गुलफाम की गोली मारकर हत्या कर दी। फायरिंग में सैफ अली के सीने पर भी गोली के छर्रे लगे हैं।
— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) April 24, 2025
क्षत्रिय गौरक्षा दल से जुड़े मनोज चौधरी ने एक Video जारी करके कहा– "ताजनगरी आगरा में 2 कटु* मारे गए। क्षत्रिय गोरक्षा दल इसकी… pic.twitter.com/qhNj8pw5b8
The Agra Police Commissionerate swiftly dismissed the video’s claims. In an official statement posted on X Thursday night, the Commissionerate dismissed the claims as fake and inflammatory.
“No evidence has been found of any cow protection group by that name operating in Agra, nor did Gulfam’s three companions mention any such threat,” the post read.
The statement said investigations are ongoing and that all possible angles, including personal enmity, are being thoroughly examined.
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE AGRA (@agrapolice) April 24, 2025
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Tajganj), Areeb Ahmed, confirmed that an FIR has been lodged under Sections 101 (murder) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. Six police teams are reviewing CCTV footage and monitoring border checkpoints in a bid to apprehend the attackers. Ahmed also stated that the two individuals seen in the viral video have been identified, with one already in custody and the second expected to be arrested shortly.
In a separate statement, ACP (Cyber Cell) Sukanya Sharma warned the public against spreading unverified and communal content online. She described the “revenge” narrative as a calculated attempt to incite unrest and confirmed that several social media accounts have been flagged under the IT Act for circulating such misinformation.
Medical officials at S.N. Medical College confirmed that Gulfam had suffered a close-range gunshot wound and was declared dead upon arrival. Forensic teams recovered three spent cartridges from the scene. Eyewitnesses described the shooters as young men in their early 20s, who were last seen fleeing towards Fatehabad Road.
The incident has prompted fresh concerns about nighttime policing in the Shilpgram-Taj East Gate area, a corridor frequented by both locals and tourists. Earlier on Wednesday, US Vice President J.D. Vance and his family had visited the Taj Mahal, underscoring the global visibility of the location.
Shahid Ali, owner of the restaurant where Gulfam worked, has urged authorities to implement permanent beat patrols and upgrade CCTV surveillance in the vicinity.
“Tourist footfall is just picking up after a long time. Such incidents near the Taj tarnish the city’s image,” he told The Print.
Amid calls for calm, the interfaith citizens’ group Hindustani Biradari has announced plans to deploy volunteers to counter online disinformation and promote communal harmony. Police have assured that all angles—including the possibility of a communal motive—remain under scrutiny until the suspects are fully apprehended. Investigators expect significant progress in the case within the next 48 hours.
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