Key Points
A 13-year-old boy, Unaiz Khan, died after sustaining a gunshot wound to the forehead during a birthday gathering in Lucknow’s Krishna Nagar area on 2 March 2026.
Police labelled the death an accidental firing, while the victim’s family alleges that the killing was pre planned, pointing suspicious circumstances and past grudges.
Sanjeev Tripathi, whose revolver was used in the shooting, has links to UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and a former MLC. Concerns have risen that authorities may be attempting to protect those involved.
13-year-old Unaiz Khan was reported dead on 2 March 2026 in Krishna Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in what the police labelled an “accidental firing.” Unaiz’s family, however, allege that he was murdered by Navneet, Unaiz’s acquaintance, and his father Sanjeev Tripathi, brother-in-law of UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.
Unaiz Khan, a Class VII student and resident of Behsa in Sarojini Nagar, UP, died after sustaining a gunshot wound to the forehead on the evening of 2 March 2026. The incident occurred at Navneet Tripathi’s birthday party.
According to the complaint filed by the boy’s father, Zameer Khan, several acquaintances arrived at their home around 3:30 pm on Monday and asked Unaiz to accompany them to a birthday party in Barigawan, Krishna Nagar. The family said the boy had initially refused to go because he was observing Roza. Zameer, who runs an electrical appliance shop in the Amausi area, told police that the boys insisted and eventually took his son along despite his hesitation. The family later claimed that the child had left after saying he did not want to upset his friends.
At 7:30 pm that evening, the family received a phone call from Sanjeev Tripathi informing them that the boy had been admitted to Lokbandhu Hospital. Police said Unaiz had suffered a gunshot injury while inside a car near Tripathi’s residence. He was taken to the hospital and admitted to the emergency ward, where doctors declared him dead.
The revolver used in the incident was licensed in Tripathi’s name. According to reports, Tripathi is the brother-in-law of UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, and he is also related to former MLC Arvind Tripathi, who is now associated with the BJP.
Unaiz’s father, Zameer Khan, alleged that the shooting was deliberate. “My son was shot exactly in the middle of his forehead. How can someone accidentally shoot themselves like that?” he asked. “Some people must have held him, and then he was shot in the forehead. An attempt is being made to cover up the murder. They killed my son on a fasting day. My son died hungry and thirsty.”
Khan also alleged that Tripathi had previously threatened him during a parent-teacher meeting at school after an argument.
Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR at Krishna Nagar police station under sections 103(1), 351(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Six people have been named in the case, including three minors, the alleged shooter’s parents, and a driver. Investigators said that because three of the accused are minors, proceedings involving them will follow provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Investigators are examining witness statements, call records, and forensic evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events. ACP Krishna Nagar Rajneesh Verma said the case was being investigated from all angles. He confirmed that the revolver belonging to Tripathi had been seized.
Police sources said an initial inquiry suggested that the minors may have found the firearm inside the house and that it discharged accidentally while they were handling it. However, the political connections of the accused have led to concerns from the victim’s family that authorities may be attempting to shield those involved. They also questioned why the licensed firearm had been accessible to minors in the first place, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the precise location of the bullet wound raised doubts about the accidental firing theory.
The incident has also triggered anger in the local community. After Unaiz’s postmortem examination was completed on 3 March 2026, his body was brought back to Behsa village in Sarojini Nagar. Several residents gathered outside the family home, with some raising slogans against the police and accusing authorities of delaying action.
“If this had happened to their child, there would have been police, flags and bulldozers, and my house would have been demolished,” Zameer Khan said. “The police baton would have struck all our relatives and neighbors. If the police didn't do it, they would have made others do it.”
“But so much time has passed and no action has been taken,” he added.
Soon after the incident, Samajwadi Party MP RK Chaudhary visited the family and assured them of support. He said that if the police failed to arrest all the accused within two days, protests would be organised.
The incident has also revived debate around law and order in Uttar Pradesh. Critics say the case tests the state government’s claim of maintaining “zero tolerance” toward crime.
[DS]
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