Mohammad Shareef, a 52-year-old man previously convicted in the 2007 terror attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Tuesday. The incident occurred in the Khajuria area as Shareef was riding pillion on a motorcycle behind his 21-year-old son, Abu Wais Khan.
According to police, the assailants were also on a motorcycle and had their faces covered when they approached the pair near the Panwaria village crossing. Abu Wais Khan told police that the attackers opened fire while their motorcycle was in motion and subsequently fled the scene. While The Indian Express reported that police observed two bullet wounds on the victim's body, The Times of India noted claims from bystanders alleging he was shot 16 times. Rampur Additional Superintendent of Police Anurag Singh stated that the exact nature of the injuries would be confirmed following a postmortem examination.
Shareef’s younger brother, Shaheen, stated that Shareef had been summoned to the Khajuria police station earlier that day. He claimed the shooting took place approximately 200 metres away from the police station as they were returning home. Police have initiated a manhunt for the unidentified shooter or shooters.
Key facts
- The 2007 attack on the Rampur CRPF Group Centre resulted in the deaths of seven CRPF personnel and one rickshaw-puller.
- In 2019, a local court sentenced Shareef and three others to death for their involvement in the attack.
- The Allahabad High Court overturned the death penalties in October 2025, citing investigation defects, but upheld convictions under the Arms Act.
- The High Court sentenced the accused to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each.
- Shareef was released from Bareilly central jail in November 2025 after his sentence was adjusted for time already served.
Background
Shareef was arrested shortly after the December 31, 2007, terror attack alongside several others, including two Pakistani nationals. The Allahabad High Court's 2025 decision to set aside the death sentences cited gaps in eyewitness accounts, failure to conduct a Test Identification Parade, and improper chain-of-custody protocols for recovered weapons and grenades.
Source: Indian Express, Times of India
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