Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh – Widespread anger and fear have gripped the town of Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh following the brutal killing of 17-year-old Arish Khan, a Muslim student, in what is being widely condemned as a hate crime. The incident, which took place on July 23 just outside his school premises, has left the community shaken—especially as videos of the attack and online celebrations by the accused’s supporters have gone viral, reported the Maktoob Media.
Arish Khan, a Class 12 student at Maharshi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, was attacked shortly after stepping out of school by three young men—Harshvardhan Pandey, Deepak Savita, and Bharat Sarkar. CCTV footage captured the moment the attackers arrived on a scooter and beat Arish with rods and sticks until he collapsed.
Despite being rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, Arish succumbed to his injuries 36 hours later on July 26.
The grieving family has demanded justice, suspecting that the attack was motivated by Arish’s Muslim identity. “Our son was murdered in broad daylight. We don’t understand why this happened. We want justice,” said Arish’s father, an electrician by profession.
An FIR was filed on July 24, and the three accused were arrested on July 26, the day Arish died. A second complaint filed by Arish’s grandfather accuses the accused’s supporters of inciting communal hatred through social media posts and public rallies.
In a disturbing development, supporters of the accused glorified the murder through bike rallies and hateful social media posts. One such supporter, Abhay Dwivedi, posted a video celebrating the attack with captions like “jaldi wapsi hogi mere sher ki” (My lion will return soon). Another Instagram user used explicit slurs against Arish and the Muslim community in a hate-filled rant.
Both accounts were deactivated after screenshots were submitted to the police as evidence.
Maharshi Vidya Mandir’s principal, Pramod Kumar Tripathi, distanced the school from the incident, stating that it occurred outside school grounds and that the accused were former students. However, the family and local residents claim the school staff failed to act promptly, delaying Arish’s transfer to the hospital until his family and the police arrived.
Sources in Fatehpur, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisal, allege that one of the accused, Harshvardhan Pandey, is affiliated with Bajrang Dal, a militant Hindutva group. They also claimed that Arish had previously been subjected to communal slurs, including being called “Kathua”—a derogatory term for Muslims.
The incident has heightened communal tensions in the area, with many Muslims expressing fear over rising anti-Muslim violence and the impunity with which such acts are carried out.
Several rights organisations have come forward in support of Arish’s family. The Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), led by Zonal President Kaif Khan, visited the family and condemned the killing. “This is not just a murder; it is a message of hate,” said Khan.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has also pledged legal assistance, vowing to ensure that justice prevails.
