A 12-year-old Muslim boy observing the Ramadan fast has been shot dead in Lucknow, India, after he was allegedly taken from his home by acquaintances to attend a birthday gathering. The boy’s family claim the killing was a “pre-planned murder”, while others have suggested it may have been a tragic accident.
Police have registered a murder case against several people, including a relative of a senior leader from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to local authorities. Police have reportedly detained three minors in connection with the incident.
The victim, Unaiz Khan, a student, lived with his family in the Behsa neighbourhood of Sarojini Nagar, a residential area on the outskirts of Lucknow in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
According to relatives, Unaiz left home at around 3:30 pm on Monday with friends who had arrived in a car and invited him to attend the birthday celebration of a classmate at the residence of contractor Sanjeev Tripathi in LDA Colony, Barigawan, within the Krishnanagar area of the city.
His father, Zameer Khan, who runs a small electrical appliance shop in the Amausi locality of Lucknow, said he had initially advised his son not to go because he was observing the fast.
“He was fasting. I had told him not to go,” Zameer Khan said in a video that later circulated on social media. “But he said his friends would feel bad if he refused.”
Relatives claim the boy had earlier declined the invitation and said he would only leave after breaking his fast. They allege he was later taken away in a car by a group going to the party.
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Hours later, the family began receiving calls informing them that Unaiz had been taken to hospital.
Police later said Unaiz sustained a gunshot wound to the forehead while inside a vehicle parked near the residence of one of the accused. He was rushed to Lokbandhu Hospital, where doctors declared him deceased shortly after arrival.
The family said they were informed of the incident several hours after Unaiz had left home.
According to Zameer Khan, the information came through a phone call made to his wife’s mobile phone by a relative of one of the accused.
When the family reached the hospital later that evening, they found the teenager’s body there.
The incident sparked tension at the hospital, with relatives and local residents gathering in large numbers as police were deployed before the body was sent for a post-mortem examination.
After the body was handed over to the family the following day and brought back to Behsa village, a large crowd gathered outside the house. Some residents reportedly raised slogans accusing police of inaction, demanded immediate arrests.
While speaking to local media, the boy’s aunt claimed the shooting may have been linked to a dispute that took place at school about a year earlier.
“He had an argument with the same boy who took him to the birthday party,” she said. “Later he changed schools but they remained friends.”
The family has rejected suggestions that the shooting was accidental and demanded a thorough investigation, urging authorities to secure CCTV footage from the area before it is tampered with or deleted.
Rival allegations and claims
Meanwhile, relatives of the BJP leader whose nephew has been named in the complaint have offered a different account. They claimed the boys had gathered for a birthday celebration and alleged the gunshot was accidental while recording a social media video.
Police confirmed that a licensed revolver belonging to one of the accused has been seized as part of the investigation.
Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police for the Krishnanagar division, said a case had been registered based on the father’s complaint.
“The complaint has been received from the father and a case has been registered accordingly,” Verma said. “The matter is being investigated from all angles.”
Police said six people have been named in the first information report (FIR), including contractor Sanjeev Tripathi, his wife, three minors and an unidentified driver. Three minors who were present at the gathering have been detained for questioning, and proceedings involving them will be conducted under India’s juvenile justice laws.
Investigators are examining forensic evidence, call records and witness statements to establish the sequence of events.
No arrests had been officially announced at the time of publishing this story.
