‘Bhole Baba’ Shop Row in Agra: Viral Video Claims Debunked, Police Clarify Ownership

An alleged controversy over a shop operating under the name ‘Bhole Baba’ in Agra’s Belanganj area triggered an uproar on social media after a video went viral, claiming that a Muslim youth was running the shop under a Hindu name. However, Agra Police have termed the claims misleading and issued a clarification after investigation.

According to the viral posts, a youth named Arif had put up a board reading ‘Bhole Baba’ at his shop. The issue reportedly escalated when a customer, while making a digital payment, saw a Muslim name appear on the QR code. The customer questioned Arif, following which an argument broke out. The incident was recorded on video and later shared on social media, along with a complaint being filed at the police station.

However, Agra Police said that the video, which is being circulated with misleading claims, is related to a chole-bhature shop named ‘Baba Chole Bhature’ located in the Belanganj area under Chhata police station limits. Upon verification at the spot, police found that the shop is owned by Vijay Shukla, not Arif.

Police further clarified that the video is around two to three months old and that Arif has been working at the shop as an employee for the past 15 years. According to the shop owner, the argument shown in the video was over payment for food with the person who recorded the clip, and it was later wrongly portrayed on social media. The claim that Arif is the shop owner was found to be false and baseless.

Agra Police said that accounts spreading the incident with misleading or incorrect facts are being identified and legal action is being taken against them. The police have appealed to citizens to verify facts before sharing content on social media, especially in sensitive matters that can disturb communal harmony.