Teen shot dead over social media post in UP’s Moradabad
The victim, identified as Shobhit Kumar, a resident of Suraj Nagar Peetal Basti, was gunned down in what authorities describe as a targeted attack, said police
A 16-year-old Bajrang Dal worker was allegedly shot dead over a social media post in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district, police confirmed on Tuesday. The crime was committed in Dehri village under the jurisdiction of Katghar police station, prompting swift probe and a protest by the victim’s supporters.
The victim, identified as Shobhit Kumar, a resident of Suraj Nagar Peetal Basti, was gunned down in what authorities describe as a targeted attack stemming from an altercation over an Instagram post involving a female friend.
Details of the post remain under wraps as the investigation unfolds, but police sources indicate it sparked a fierce online disagreement that escalated into a fatal confrontation.
“The motive appears to be rooted in the content of the Instagram post, which led to a dispute,” circle officer (Katghar) Varun Kumar said. He further said forensic teams have been deployed at the crime scene to collect evidence.
Shobhit, a class 11 student, was reportedly ambushed and shot from a close range around 10 p.m. on Monday. The police have named Jatin alias Lala, Akku Sharma, Avinash Pasi, and Rohit Jatav as accused in the FIR based on the complaint filed by the victim’s father Ghanshyam Thakur. SSP Satpal Antil said five teams have been formed to arrest the four accused.
