Agra Biryani restaurant worker shot dead, man in viral video says 'Pahalgam avenged'

A restaurant worker, identified as Gulfam Ali, was shot dead in Agra, and his colleague was injured in the firing. Both of them worked at Shahid Ali Chicken Biryani, which was owned by Gulfam's cousin Shahid Ali. The incident happened on the intervening night of Wednesday through Thursday, reported The Indian Express.

Hours after the killing, a video popped up on social media and quickly gained traction in which two men are seen claiming responsibility for the crime as an act of avenging the Pahalgam terror attack. In the purported video, a man is heard saying that two people (he uses a religious slur) were killed and that Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal takes responsibility for the act. The man is seen armed with two pistols and a knife strapped to his waist, and another man similarly armed accompanying him.

"I pledge in the name of Bharat Mata that if we do not avenge the killing of 26 with 2,600, I am not a son of Bharat Mata," he is heard saying in the video in Hindi, referring to the terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 dead, mostly tourists.

According to a Times of India report, the man identifies himself as Manoj Chaudhary, while the identity of the man accompanying him is not known.

HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Police deny claim

Reacting to the video, the local police have denied the claim and said no such cow vigilante group is operational in Agra. "No organisation in the name of 'Kshatriya Gau Raksha Dal' is operational (here). The video on social media appears to be a publicity stunt. An FIR has been registered at Tajganj and a probe is on," TOI quoted police as saying.

According to Agra's police commissioner Deepak Kumar, the killing happened after a quarrel over the quality of food at the Biryani restaurant a few days back, and the men in the video are using the incident for publicity.

"The crime was a fallout of a quarrel over the quality of food a few days ago. Investigation has revealed that the two men in the video are not Kshatriyas, and their self-declared status as gau rakshaks is also doubtful. At this stage, it appears to be more of a publicity stunt. CCTV footage from the crime scene shows the presence of four individuals. We have arrested a suspect," Kumar told TOI.

Gulfam and his co-worker Saif Ali were targeted by three men on a scooter. While Gulfam was shot dead, Saif Ali almost dodged the bullet but it grazed his neck, the report says.

An FIR under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita pertaining to murder and attempt to murder has been filed.