Ram Gopal Mishra murder: As Bahraich court sentences Sarfaraz to death and others to life imprisonment, read how the old police statement is being misleadingly used to question the verdict

On the 11th of December 2025, a sessions court in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich sentenced Sarfaraz alias Rinku to death in the October 2024 communal violence case, wherein a Hindu youth, Ram Gopal Mishra, was murdered In this case, 10 people were found guilty by the Additional Sessions Judge (First) Pawan Kumar Sharma. While Sarfaraz has been sentenced to death for shooting Ram Gopal Mishra dead, the nine others have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Sarfaraz’s father, Abdul Hameed, and his two brothers, Faheem and Talib alias Sabloo, are among the convicts. In addition to the death sentence for Sarfaraz and jail term for the other convicts, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each. Besides Sarfaraz and some of his family members, Saif, Javed, Zeeshan, Nankau, Shoaib, and Maruf have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The court, however, acquitted Khurshid, Shakeel, and Afzal over a lack of sufficient evidence. सजा-ए-मौत!#बहराइच में प्रतिमा विसर्जन जुलूस के दौरान एक घर से इस्लामिक झंडा उतारने पर रामगोपाल मिश्रा की हत्या की गई थी. आज इस मामले में कोर्ट का फैसला आया हैमुख्यारोपी सरफराज को फांसी, बाकी 9 आरोपियों को उम्रकैद की सजा सुनाई गई है. हत्या के बाद शहर में दंगा, आगजनी हुई थी pic.twitter.com/t8EPzJmEY7— Narendra Pratap (@hindipatrakar) December 11, 2025 The accused were charged under Section 103(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), apart from sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 109(2), 249, 61(2), and Section 30 of the Arms Act. Notably, the convicted persons have the right to appeal, and their appeals can be filed within 30-90 days, seeking commutation or revocation of the sentence. Defence lawyer Mukhtar Alam has said that an appeal against the verdict will be filed. Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Mishra’s widow, Roli Mishra, has welcomed the verdict and said, “We are satisfied with the court’s decision. The person who shot my husband has been given the death penalty.” Durga idol immersion and the brutal murder of Ram Gopal Mishra by Islamists The murder case of Ram Gopal Mishra stems from Islamist mob violence in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh on 13th October 2024, during a Maa Durga idol immersion (visarjan) procession in the Maharajganj market under the Hardi Police Station precinct. A 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, a Rehua Mansoor village resident, was claimed to have climbed onto the roof of one of the convicts in the present case, Abdul Hameed. It was alleged that Mishra removed green ‘Islamic’ flags installed there, replacing them with saffron Hindu flags. Some videos of the incident also surfaced on social media. It was moments after this incident; Ram Gopal Mishra, who got married just two months before the incident, was brutally assaulted by the convicted Islamists and shot dead by Sarfaraz. Several other Hindu devotees were injured in the stone pelting by the Muslim mob. The Durga puja idols heading for immersion were also damaged in the stone pelting. In retaliatory violence, the Hindus had also vandalised the houses and shops in the area. A total of 13 FIRs were registered in the case, 11 at Hardi police station and two at Ramgaon police station. Source: Bhaskar, file It all started when local Muslims protested against the music played in the immersion procession, resulting in a clash. Following an investigation into the incident, the police charged 13 people, including the main accused. Five of these accused were charged under the National Security Act, including Abdul Hameel, Mohammad Talib alias Sablu, Mohammad Sarfaraz Ahmed alias Rinku, Shakeel Ahmed alias Bablu, and Khurshid. The remaining eight were later charged under the NSA. The next morning (14th October 2024), a crowd carrying the body of the youth killed in the violence was stopped by the police. After the police placated them, the family took the body and went home. However, the crowd became enraged and set fire to a bike showroom and a private hospital. In the aftermath of the Islamist mob violence, internet services were temporarily suspended, and large police forces were deployed. Later, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the deceased victim’s family, assuring justice, financial aid and a government job for Ram Gopal Mishra’s widow, Roli Mishra. Source: NBT After the dust settled, the government initiated bulldozer action against illegal constructions belonging to the accused killers of Ram Gopal Mishra. The deceased victim’s family had, back then, alleged that Ram Gopal Mishra would not have been killed had police not resorted to a lathi-charge against the Hindus, which created chaos, and people started fleeing everywhere. The Islamist perpetrators reportedly exploited the chaos and dragged Ram Gopal Mishra into a house, where he was assaulted and shot dead by Sarfaraz. How Islamists and media tried to whitewash and justify the brutal murder OpIndia had reported about the alleged Nepal madarsa connection of the convict Abdul Hameed. It was reported that Hamed has c

Dec 12, 2025 0

Ram Gopal Mishra murder: As Bahraich court sentences Sarfaraz to death and others to life imprisonment, read how the old police statement is being misleadingly used to question the verdict

On the 11th of December 2025, a sessions court in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich sentenced Sarfaraz alias Rinku to death in the October 2024 communal violence case, wherein a Hindu youth, Ram Gopal Mishra, was murdered

In this case, 10 people were found guilty by the Additional Sessions Judge (First) Pawan Kumar Sharma. While Sarfaraz has been sentenced to death for shooting Ram Gopal Mishra dead, the nine others have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Sarfaraz’s father, Abdul Hameed, and his two brothers, Faheem and Talib alias Sabloo, are among the convicts. In addition to the death sentence for Sarfaraz and jail term for the other convicts, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each.

Besides Sarfaraz and some of his family members, Saif, Javed, Zeeshan, Nankau, Shoaib, and Maruf have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The court, however, acquitted Khurshid, Shakeel, and Afzal over a lack of sufficient evidence.

The accused were charged under Section 103(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), apart from sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 109(2), 249, 61(2), and Section 30 of the Arms Act.

Notably, the convicted persons have the right to appeal, and their appeals can be filed within 30-90 days, seeking commutation or revocation of the sentence. Defence lawyer Mukhtar Alam has said that an appeal against the verdict will be filed.

Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Mishra’s widow, Roli Mishra, has welcomed the verdict and said, “We are satisfied with the court’s decision. The person who shot my husband has been given the death penalty.”

Durga idol immersion and the brutal murder of Ram Gopal Mishra by Islamists

The murder case of Ram Gopal Mishra stems from Islamist mob violence in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh on 13th October 2024, during a Maa Durga idol immersion (visarjan) procession in the Maharajganj market under the Hardi Police Station precinct. A 22-year-old Ram Gopal Mishra, a Rehua Mansoor village resident, was claimed to have climbed onto the roof of one of the convicts in the present case, Abdul Hameed. It was alleged that Mishra removed green ‘Islamic’ flags installed there, replacing them with saffron Hindu flags. Some videos of the incident also surfaced on social media.

It was moments after this incident; Ram Gopal Mishra, who got married just two months before the incident, was brutally assaulted by the convicted Islamists and shot dead by Sarfaraz. Several other Hindu devotees were injured in the stone pelting by the Muslim mob. The Durga puja idols heading for immersion were also damaged in the stone pelting. In retaliatory violence, the Hindus had also vandalised the houses and shops in the area. A total of 13 FIRs were registered in the case, 11 at Hardi police station and two at Ramgaon police station.

Source: Bhaskar, file

It all started when local Muslims protested against the music played in the immersion procession, resulting in a clash. Following an investigation into the incident, the police charged 13 people, including the main accused. Five of these accused were charged under the National Security Act, including Abdul Hameel, Mohammad Talib alias Sablu, Mohammad Sarfaraz Ahmed alias Rinku, Shakeel Ahmed alias Bablu, and Khurshid. The remaining eight were later charged under the NSA.

The next morning (14th October 2024), a crowd carrying the body of the youth killed in the violence was stopped by the police. After the police placated them, the family took the body and went home. However, the crowd became enraged and set fire to a bike showroom and a private hospital.

In the aftermath of the Islamist mob violence, internet services were temporarily suspended, and large police forces were deployed. Later, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the deceased victim’s family, assuring justice, financial aid and a government job for Ram Gopal Mishra’s widow, Roli Mishra.

Source: NBT

After the dust settled, the government initiated bulldozer action against illegal constructions belonging to the accused killers of Ram Gopal Mishra.

The deceased victim’s family had, back then, alleged that Ram Gopal Mishra would not have been killed had police not resorted to a lathi-charge against the Hindus, which created chaos, and people started fleeing everywhere. The Islamist perpetrators reportedly exploited the chaos and dragged Ram Gopal Mishra into a house, where he was assaulted and shot dead by Sarfaraz.

How Islamists and media tried to whitewash and justify the brutal murder

OpIndia had reported about the alleged Nepal madarsa connection of the convict Abdul Hameed. It was reported that Hamed has connections to anti-India elements in Nepal and visits a madrasa near Fultekra in the Banke district of Nepal. It is said to be a hub of anti-India and anti-Hindu activities.

It was reported how the Islamo-leftist media had tried to rationalise Ram Gopal Mishra’s brutal killing. Newslaundry, a leftist propaganda outlet, had tried to suggest that since the Hindu procession reportedly played “Tel laga lo Dabur ka naam mita do Babur ka” song on DJ, it ‘offended’ the Muslims and thus the brutality inflicted by them on the Hindu youth is justified. It was reported by locals that the Hindu procession also played songs mocking Pakistan, which also allegedly offended the Islamists.

Islamists widely circulated the propaganda ground report video by Newslaundry online to establish that since Hindus played an ‘offensive’ song, Muslims grew infuriated and thus unrest erupted.

What the court said in its order sentencing the killers of Ram Gopal Mishra, and how the mere mention of a Manusmriti shloka is being used to create confusion

In the order dated 11th December 2025, ASJ Pawan Kumar said that the act committed against Ram Gopal Mishra by the convicted persons was “extremely heinous in nature. The judge noted that Mishra’s body was riddled with bullets, and his one leg was burnt in such a manner that even his nails came off. He emphasised that the cruelty inflicted by the convicts shook humanity, and they deserve appropriate punishment.

“… the act committed by the convicted accused is of an extremely heinous nature. They brutally killed an unarmed young man, riddling his body with bullets. His legs were burned so severely that even his nails came off. This act created unrest and instability in society. The cruelty displayed by the convicts shook humanity, disrupted the social order, and pushed it to the brink of collapse. For such perpetrators, the true intent of justice requires that punishment be awarded in a manner that instils fear in those who harbour similar tendencies and reinforces public confidence in the judicial system”.

ASJ Pawan Kumar also cited a shloka from the Manusmriti to emphasise the imperative to punish those who violate the law.

The shloka cited by the judge is, “Danḍa śāsti prajāḥ sarvā, danḍa evābhirakṣati. Danḍa supṭeṣu jāgarti, danḍa dharm avidurvaḍhā.”

“According to Manusmriti, penal laws were considered essential to ensure that the people followed the duty of the state (Rajdharma). The fear of punishment kept society from deviating from its duties and responsibilities. Punishment alone protected the lives and property of its citizens, and therefore, punishing criminals was considered the ultimate duty of the ruler,” the court order reads.

“…it is appropriate in the interests of justice and society to punish those who violate the principles established by law with appropriate punishment. It is the court’s responsibility to impose penalties, heeding the cries and anguish of the public and society for justice, and to punish those who violate societal rules with the harshest possible punishment, so that the purpose of justice can be achieved,” it adds.

Notably, the court’s observation that Mishra’s feet were burned in such a way that the nails came out is being widely cited by many to suggest that while the Bahraich Police had refuted the claims of Mishra being subjected to torture before killing, the court has accepted the same ‘theory’.

Journalist Sachin Gupta wrote, “Bahraich Violence – Police: There is no truth to claims like being electrocuted, beaten with a sword, or nails being pulled out. Court: His feet were burned in such a way that the nails came out. Meaning: The theory that the police called false in the murder of Ramgopal Mishra was the same theory that the court wrote in its judgment.”

However, the above post fails to mention that the court has not mentioned the claims of electrocution and sword attack at all. Also, “nails were pulled” is not the same as “toes were burned so badly that nails came out”.

Piyush Rai wrote, “UP judge quotes the Manusmriti in his order awarding death sentence in Bahraich violence. Breaking: Pawan Kumar Sharma, the additional sessions judge in UP’s Bahraich, while awarding death sentence to Sarfaraz and life sentence to 9 others in the murder of Ram Gopal Mishra in the 2024 Bahraich violence, quoted Manusmriti in the order copy after elaborating on the alleged torture inflicted on the victim.”

Meanwhile, Wasim Akram Tyagi, an Islamist notorious for peddling fake Muslim victimhood narratives, expressed displeasure over the judge citing a shloka from the Manusmriti. “Did the honourable judge not find even a single statement from the framers of the Constitution to cite while sentencing Gopal Mishra’s culprits?” he lamented.

It is worth recalling that, following several media reports and social media posts, it was claimed that Ram Gopal Mishra’s toenails were deliberately pulled out. However, the police had denied the claims, saying that “There are social media posts that indicate that the body of the deceased was given electric shocks, was attacked with a sword, and that his toenails were desecrated. These posts are not true. The post-mortem report says that the death occurred due to gunshots. No other reason for death has been mentioned in the reports.”

Notably, the postmortem report had stated that the death of the deceased had occurred due to several gunshot wounds. The report further stated that Mishra had several injuries on his face, neck, and arm. The post-mortem report also states that the authorities recovered 7 pellets from the body of Mishra that had 30 entry wounds and 2 exit wounds.

It also mentioned 29 entry wounds on the upper part of the chest extending to the neck, 2 entry wounds on the right upper arm, 3 entry wounds on the left upper arm, and a total of 6 entry wounds on the whole face. Apart from these, there were 2 exit wounds in the back of the neck. A total of 7 pellets were recovered from the body. The cause of the death has been mentioned as shock and haemorrhage caused by gunshots. The report also revealed that Mishra had injuries on 8 spots in his body, including his feet.

The Chief Medical Officer of Bahraich, Sanjay Kumar, had also stated that there were around 25-30 pellet injuries on the body of Mishra. “There are some injury marks on his left eye and on his toes. Some parts of the nails of both his feet are also missing, and toes exhibited burn injuries,” he confirmed.

In the verdict, Judge Pawan Kumar pointed out that Ram Gopal Mishra’s body was riddled with bullets and that the victim’s nails came off. Nowhere does the judgment accept the exaggerated claims of torture, which were refuted by the police earlier. The judgment does not mention the police-debunked claims that Mishra was given electric shocks, was attacked with a sword, or that his toenails were deliberately pulled out.

While it is true that the Bahraich police had denied exaggerated claims of electrocution, sword attacks etc, and stated that the cause of death is bullet wounds alone, it is notable here that the court order is not “contradicting” the police statement at all, unlike what these handles are suggesting.

Both the postmortem report and the Bahraich CMO, Sanjay Kumar, had confirmed that Mishra’s feet, particularly toes, had injuries, and some parts of the nails of his feet were missing. It is only these facts that the court has mentioned in its order, focusing only on the proven brutality, not the claims like sword attacks, electric shocks, nail-pulling or post-shooting prolonged abuse, debunked by the police.

It was confirmed that there were burn injuries, although the nails were not deliberately pulled out. The court order highlights this fact, and even if the ‘toenails missing’ part is set aside, Ram Gopal Mishra’s killing was brutal and torturous. Merely because the judge quoted the Manusmriti, the Islamo-leftists are calling him biased and apparently a ‘Sanghi’.

Dragging Mishra, his burnt toes, 30 bullet wounds caused by multiple close-range shots, 10 people ganging up to kill one unarmed man for merely having removed a religious flag, does amount to cruelty via overkill. The police rejected the unproven extras, and the court did not accept or endorse those extras; however, Islamo-leftists are peddling a narrative that simply because the judge quoted Manusmriti, he is a Hindu hardliner riddled with anti-Muslim bias and thus included exaggerated claims of torture by Muslim convicts on the Hindu youth.

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