Hindu youth shot by four Muslim men over minor dispute on Diwali night in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh
Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
7 November, 2026
Case Summary
In Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, a 25-year-old Hindu youth, Abhishek Saini, was brutally shot in the leg by four Muslim assailants, Muhammad Aamir, Nafees, Firoz and Hassan, over a minor dispute on the night of Diwali, 8 November 2026. The incident took place in Baksa Wali Gali, Khatakpura Zarda Gate, when Abhishek sat on a stool near a shop, triggering an argument with the four accused. The perpetrators already shared an old rivalry with Abhishek, which further escalated the confrontation. Following the dispute over sitting on the stool, the accused surrounded him and engaged in an altercation. The verbal altercation soon escalated into a physical confrontation. Amid the ensuing chaos, one of the assailants opened fire with a country-made pistol, with the bullet striking Abhishek in the leg and leaving him seriously injured. Several other people also arrived at the scene, further escalating the confrontation. Following the shooting, Abhishek collapsed on the ground and began bleeding profusely. His family members and local residents rushed him to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital at approximately 11:30 PM, where doctors provided initial medical treatment. However, given his critical condition, he was referred to another hospital for further treatment. Upon receiving information about the incident, Kotwali police reached the spot and inspected the crime scene. The police also seized CCTV footage from cameras installed in the area to identify those involved in the shooting. An investigation was initiated, and authorities stated that strict legal action would be taken against the named accused.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the Undecided database of the Hinduphobia Tracker because there is no direct evidence establishing a religious motivation behind the attack. However, certain circumstances surrounding the incident warrant examining the possibility of religious hostility. The victim, Abhishek Saini, was a Hindu man, while the four accused, Muhammad Aamir, Nafees, Firoz and Hassan, were Muslims. The fact that a Hindu victim was attacked by Muslim perpetrators itself gives rise to religious suspicions, particularly against the backdrop of several documented instances in which Hindus were targeted by Muslims specifically because of their Hindu religious identity. The Hinduphobia Tracker has documented numerous such incidents in which attacks were driven by religious animosity towards the victims for being Hindus. Further adding to these suspicions is the fact that the attack took place on the night of Diwali, one of the most significant Hindu festivals. Hindus have repeatedly been targeted by Muslim perpetrators even during their religious festivals, with devotees assaulted, murdered and religious processions attacked because of religious hostility. The Hinduphobia Tracker has documented multiple such instances of Hindus being attacked while celebrating their festivals or exercising their religious freedoms. Therefore, considering the documented pattern of attacks driven by anti-Hindu religious animosity, the religious identities of the victim and the accused, coupled with the timing of the assault on Diwali night, give rise to suspicions that this attack may also have been motivated by religious hostility. However, it is equally plausible that the attack was entirely motivated by non-religious factors. There were no religious slurs directed at Abhishek during the confrontation, nor was there any indication from the accused that they targeted him because of his Hindu religious identity. Furthermore, Abhishek was not attacked while celebrating Diwali or participating in any religious rituals. He was returning home after delivering sweets to a friend's house when a minor dispute over sitting on a stool near a shop escalated into a confrontation. The accused also shared an old rivalry with him, providing an alternative explanation for the attack. Considering these circumstances, the immediate trigger for the shooting was a dispute over a stool, compounded by an existing personal rivalry. No concrete evidence of religious motivation emerged from the available details. Therefore, despite the circumstances giving rise to religious suspicions, the incident cannot be conclusively classified as a religious hate crime at this stage. The Hinduphobia Tracker follows strict parameters for classifying an incident as a religious hate crime. Such classification requires identifiable indicators of religious motivation and cannot be based solely on the religious identities of the victim and perpetrators or the timing of the incident. Since the available information does not establish a visible religious motive behind the attack, this case is being included in the Undecided database. If further information emerges establishing that Abhishek was targeted because of his Hindu religious identity, the case will be reassessed and moved to the hate crime database.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 1
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
