UP Man Attacks Bus Conductor With Butcher Knife For ‘Insulting Prophet Muhammad’; Arrested

Prayagraj: In a shocking incident in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, a 20-year-old engineering student, identified as Lareb Hashmi, attacked a bus conductor, Harikesh Vishwakarma, with a cleaver following a dispute over ticket fare on Friday morning. Vishwakarma sustained severe injuries on his neck and other body parts.

Hashmi, who initially attempted to flee the scene, was eventually apprehended by police in an encounter after being shot in the leg.

The incident unfolded when Hashmi engaged in a heated argument with the bus conductor over the ticket price. Subsequently, he attacked Vishwakarma and fled the scene, seeking refuge in a college campus.

Inside the college, Hashmi recorded a video confessing to the crime, claiming he assaulted the conductor for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad. The video was shared on social media, where Hashmi brandished the cleaver used in the attack.

After his capture, Hashmi allegedly fired at the police during an attempt to recover the weapon, leading to his injury and subsequent arrest. He is currently hospitalized for treatment.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhinav Tyagi, Hashmi is a first-year student at United Engineering College in Prayagraj and resides in the Hajiganj area. His father, Mohammed Yunus, operates a poultry farm in the city.

The Prayagraj Police have arrested Hashmi and registered a case against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigations are ongoing.