In a horrifying incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhinjhana village (Shamli district), a Muslim man, Sarfaraz, was brutally attacked with an axe by an assailant named Govind in front of his minor child, Shamli. CCTV footage captured the violent assault, showing Sarfaraz and his child sitting outside their house when Govind suddenly attacked with a sharp axe, reported the Siasat.
Eyewitnesses and villagers alleged that Govind kept shouting, “26 ke badle 26 marunga” (I will kill 26 in return for 26), reportedly referring to the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 lives were lost. Sarfaraz’s family further stated that Govind screamed, “Save yourself if you can, I will kill like this,” while relentlessly assaulting Sarfaraz, even as the child watched in terror.
After the gruesome act, Govind allegedly roamed the village with the bloodied axe, spreading panic among residents. Sarfaraz suffered severe injuries to his face and neck and is currently hospitalized in critical condition. His family has demanded urgent police protection, fearing more such attacks.
Despite clear evidence and villagers’ testimonies, police have downplayed the angle of a “revenge attack” and assured that efforts are ongoing to apprehend Govind.
Meanwhile, following the Pahalgam attack, several parts of India have witnessed a sharp rise in Islamophobic violence. Reports have emerged of hate speeches, attacks on Muslim-owned shops, refusal to treat Muslim patients in hospitals, and even online calls for violence, especially targeting Kashmiri Muslim women.
The Shamli incident adds to growing concerns over the safety of minorities amid an atmosphere of increasing hatred.
