On the night of 10th September (Thursday), utensils trader Vinod Kumar Sahni reportedly died while receiving treatment at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. He was allegedly attacked after returning from his shop on a motorcycle, a day earlier. The incident transpired around 10:30 pm as he passed through the Shahpur Dhanwa area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Paraspur police station.
The path was claimed to be blocked by vehicles, after which a confrontation unfolded and soon escalated into a physical fight involving a sharp-edged weapon. Both sides sustained injuries. A personal feud has also emerged as a possible angle in the case. Sahni was a resident of Reksadiya village in the Gonda district.
Sahni’s long record of Hinduphobia and misogyny
Notably, he consistently expressed his opposition to Hindu beliefs, often resorting to derogatory remarks in his social media posts, showcasing his animosity towards the faith and its practitioners. “Those ba*ta*ds whose ancestors disdained our ancestors for wearing fine clothing, those sons of wh*r*s who were against our ancestors riding bicycles, I wonder how the motherfu*ke*s can state, ‘All Hindus are brothers, and if divided, you will be killed.’ All the ba*ta*ds who are opposing reservation are Akbar’s descendants,” he wrote in a post.
He also attempted to defend the tyrant Mughals by asserting that the entire country was adhering to the Varna system at that time.
Sahni remarked, “Sarvesh Pandey, the chief of the ‘Savarna Army,’ declares, ‘Return our princely states to us, and you may retain the reservation.’ If anyone knows how many princely states the descendants of Sudama actually held, please let us know. Otherwise, share this post so it reaches Sarvesh Pandey,” while implying that Brahmins are poor and akin to beggars in a similar post on social media.
He did not even hesitate to target Hindu women and girls, invoking a revered Hindu ritual to utter deeply misogynistic, sexist and humiliating statements about them. “These people organise the Kalash procession, making their daughters, sisters and wives lead it with pots on their heads so that no one sees their protruding breasts and private parts,” he remarked while addressing the people of the Dalit community, in yet another offensive post.
Sahni also mocked that Other Backward Class (OBC) castes have become financially prosperous and should be moved to the General category, adding, “They do not require reservation, having reached a level of parity with them in education and economic aspects. The General category will further strengthen their social position through marital and social relationships with the OBC.”
Moreover, he took a contemptuous swipe at the 10,000 members of the Dalit and OBC communities who participated in a religious ceremony and wore the sacred thread (Janeu) amid the recitation of mantras. He inquired whether those who have taken on the Brahmin identity will also become sons-in-law of the community.
Sahni also took a dig at the birth of Lord Krishna, diminishing his father Vasudev to the role of a delivery boy. He commented, “Vasudev is wading through the waters with a basket on his head, muttering to himself, ‘He’s come directly from the Almighty, yet I’m the one bearing all the costs and stress.’ While the world was celebrating, the true ‘delivery boy’ Vasudev was toiling through the night without Google Maps.”
He further conveyed, “Just picture what would have happened if GPS (Global Positioning System) had been available back then. Do share your amusing thoughts in the comments.” He also attached a picture of a man carrying a grown boy on his head, evidently aimed at ridiculing one of the most important elements of Hinduism.
Unrest erupts after the occurrence
A wounded Sahni was taken to the police station by his family to file a written complaint. Afterwards, he was transported to the Paraspur Community Health Centre for medical care and then referred to Gonda Medical College. He was eventually brought to KGMU for specialised treatment but succumbed to his injuries at 3 pm on Thursday.
Sahni’s family members and supporters have already begun to demonstrate, calling for the accused to be arrested and executed, for their homes to be demolished, for the family to receive compensation of Rs 5 crore, for one member to be hired by the government and for his family to be provided security. They also want the inclusion of the Gangster Act and the National Security Act (NSA) in the case.
They protested at the Paraspur police station in Reksadiya village early on 11th September (Friday). They also took Sahni’s body toward the Chachri-Paraspur route, where they were stopped by authorities. However, they transported the body to Shahpur Market and put it on the road.
Meanwhile, three police officials, including the Paraspur station house officer, were suspended for purportedly being careless and neglecting their duties in relation to the case. On the other hand, cops from several police stations were stationed across Gonda to strengthen security. Additionally, barricades were placed on the routes that led to Colonelganj village. Similar security arrangements have been made around the collectorate, the district magistrate’s home, the SP’s (Superintendent of Police) office and the circuit house.
