How A Muslim Man's Alleged 'Communal Killing' Shook Unnao During Holi

Mohd Sharif was allegedly killed for refusing to play with Holi colors. Then, his family faced an FIR.

Roshan Jahan, Mohd Sharif's wife holds his photo as she recalled how he was killed on Holi.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

Never before had Unnao experienced Holi in the way the festival took a tragic turn on 14 March 2025. In the middle of Ramzan, Mohammad Sharif, 58, a local was killed because he refused to be smeared with Holi colors.

Sharif was a tanker-driver in Saudi Arabia and had returned to spend Ramzan and Eid back home. His wife, Roshan Jahan, 54, had longed and prayed for his return. To finally be able to see Sharif celebrate Eid with their five daughters and a son after years.

With tears in her eyes, Roshan's voice choked as she said, "After 17-18 years, he would have celebrated Eid with the family. My son, who is now 16, could not even celebrate a single Eid with his father."

Roshan Jahan, Mohd Sharif's wife holds his photo as she recalled how he was killed on Holi.

(Photo: Mohammad Shahzeb/The Quint)

Sharif's story is the struggle of a family to be prove his death as a 'communal murder' while also facing an FIR. But how did these events transpire? The Quint visited Unnao to look into the case and its aftermath on the family.

'As Opposed to Post-Mortem Report, Sharif Had Injuries'

It is pertinent to note that the police first claimed that Sharif fell and died, they later changed their statement and said that the post-mortem report revealed that he had a cardiac arrest. Adding that no injury marks were found on his body.

Unnao police's statement on X.

(Photo: X/Twitter)

The family has refuted these claims and a local eyewitness' account also supplements their allegations.

Minhaz Khan and Saif Khan, Sharif's brothers-in-law have also filed an affidavit in the local court that the accused had made communal remarks against Sharif when he was brutally thrashed.

But the incident has left his family shaken, moreover, it has shaken their sense of belonging and communal harmony in the city.

"We live in a locality, you also know, whether it's a Muslim's house or a Hindu's, festivals are celebrated together. If it's a Hindu festival, they invite us, and when it's ours, we invite them. They ruined their festival, our Eid too and ruined the children's future as well," Minhaz told The Quint.

Minhaz Khan, Sharif's brother-in-law at their house in Unnao.

(Photo: Mohammad Shahzeb/The Quint)

Saif and Minhaz also recounted that when Sharif had stepped out to buy some things for iftar that day. He did not want any colors on him and hence, had protested against it. The accused abused him, forcefully applied colors and beat him up.

This was also evident when his body was brought back home, they said.

"He got injuries on his head and face and his hand got fractured too," said Saif.

Moreover, Minhaz also added, "His daughter gave him around Rs 5,000 or 7,000. But when his body was picked up, there was no money or wallet on him."

As for the police's version of a heart attack, Saif countered these claims:

In the post-mortem report, they have said that the death happened due to heart attack, but in the same report, considering the testimonies, I have the documents, it is written that he was beaten up and hence, he died. So on one hand, they are admitting that he died because he was beaten up, and on the other hand, in medical reports they are writing heart attack, so they need to clear which one was it.

Saif Khan, Sharif's Brother-in-Law to The Quint

Saif Khan also showed us all the documents, from the post-mortem report to the FIRs.

(Photo: Mohammad Shahzeb/The Quint)

Dharmendra Singh Chauhan, the lawyer fighting their case told The Quint, "The deceased's daughter has also claimed that there were injury marks on Sharif's body which was deliberately not shown. She has also filed a letter to Unnao DM, requesting for a fresh post-mortem by a proper panel in presence of a family member."

FIR Against Sharif's Family — A Double Whammy

Among the main accused are Kisan, Amarpal, Munnu and Sanjay. Kisan who was arrested has too, gotten bail.

Barely a day after Sharif died, an FIR was filed against the family, accusing them of causing a traffic jam while they took Sharif's body for his burial. 

The FIR is filed against 117 people, including Sharif's family members, two maulanas and over 100 unidentified persons.

Minhaz said, "There wasn't any wedding or function at home that I would call people. It was a murder. As people are getting to know, they are visiting home. Now for this, they have filed an FIR against us, what do we do? This shows then that the administration is taking their side and not ours."

Saif also stated that he spoke to the police, questioning them as to why they were booked.

"The SHO said that he had told us not to take out the funeral and do it quietly. The harmony of the city could have been affected, riots could have happened. Hence, FIR was filed because the city's environment was disturbed. I asked him, 'What environment did we disturb?' In the funeral, did anyone torch any car? Was stone-pelting done at any temple or at anybody's house? Nothing happened."

Saif Khan to The Quint

While the family grapples with another FIR, the nature of the crime seems to be the abject truth. One of the main eyewitnesses in the case is Shamim, a local tailor who was on the scene when Sharif was beaten up.

Eyewitness Shamim, a local tailor who walked us through the incident.

(Photo: Mohammad Shahzeb/The Quint)

"They were hurling abuses and saying, 'Why should we not apply colors? It's our festival.' They couldn't tolerate and started applying the colors. Here, they made him all through this road. To beat him, they pulled him out of the auto and then thrashed him. There were four men and rest were children. They were under the influence of 'Bhaang.' Whoever drinks it, usually laughs a lot," recalled Shamim.

Kotwali Unnao police station.

(Photo: Mohammad Shahzeb/The Quint)

The Quint visited the Kotwali Unnao police station but the SHO told us that he is not authorised to make any statements to the media. He directed us to meet CO Sonam Singh. We visited the SP office but the CO was not available. We also called the Additional SP, Akhilesh Singh, but he has not responded yet.