A Shahjahanpur man’s killing over an Instagram photograph set off a massive protest and blockade. The case deepened communal tension, prompted compensation demands and put social media posts under watch.
The murder of a 22-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur led to a major protest, with markets shut and demonstrators blocking the Palia-Farrukhabad highway for nearly eight hours on Saturday. Protesters demanded the demolition of the accused’s house and compensation of Rs 1 crore for the victim’s family, officials said.
Police said Gautam Maurya, a resident of Kant town, was allegedly stabbed to death on Friday night by Sameer Ali and his associates after Maurya had uploaded a photograph of himself with the accused’s sister on Instagram on July 12. The case also saw tension over social media activity, and police later said the accused was injured in an alleged encounter while being taken to recover the murder weapon.
The incident triggered protests outside the Kant police station on Saturday, where Maurya’s family staged a sit-in. Police said members of several Hindu organisations joined the protest, leading to a market shutdown and the highway blockade.
Some protesters also tried to target shops belonging to members of another community, but security personnel dispersed them. During the blockade, traffic was diverted via the Bareilly route from Bareilly Mod and Jalalabad.
Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit said the accused attacked the police team that had taken him to recover the murder weapon, following which police fired in self-defence and a bullet hit his right leg. Police also said that after the murder, the accused uploaded an Instagram status featuring the victim’s photograph. Dixit said police were closely monitoring social media and warned of strict action against those posting communal or inflammatory content.
