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A 17-year-old boy's brutal murder in the bustling lanes of Delhi's Seelampur has thrown a spotlight on the underworld of juvenile gangs. And at the center of the storm is a 19-year-old woman known to locals and her 25,000 plus Instagram followers as 'Lady Don'.

Zikra, whose online persona flaunted guns and bravado, is now behind bars, accused of orchestrating a killing that has reignited communal tensions.

On the evening of April 17, Kunal, a local teenager, stepped out to buy milk and samosas. According to police, he was cornered in a narrow lane by Zikra’s associates, stabbed first in the neck and then repeatedly in the stomach after he tried to escape to a nearby clinic. He died before he could be saved.

The murder, described by police as a revenge killing rooted in an old gang rivalry, triggered protests and a heavy police presence in the area. Kunal’s family has denied any gang links.

Zikra’s Instagram handle, ‘Sher_ki_Sherni’, is packed with reels of her brandishing country-made pistols, mouthing gangster dialogues and flashing a gleeful smile for the camera. Her posts, often set to Haryanvi music, drew thousands of followers and helped cultivate her image as the neighbourhood’s ‘Lady Don’.

But behind the online swagger was a troubled past, according to the Indian Express. Zikra, the eldest of two siblings, grew up in a fractured family and was known from an early age for her rebellious streak. Neighbours recall her as a wilful child who became increasingly brazen, especially after brushes with the police.

Police say Zikra was not just a social media sensation but a real-life gang member, tied to the Mastan gang led by Shoib Mastan, currently in jail. She reportedly groomed and recruited a group of minors, her own gang of eight to ten teenagers, for extortion and violent crimes. Her obsession with firearms was no secret; she was arrested just weeks before the murder for flaunting an illegal weapon on Instagram.

Investigators allege that Zikra masterminded the attack on Kunal as revenge for an earlier altercation involving her cousin Sahil and Kunal’s friends. Police say she was present at the scene, watching as her associates carried out the stabbing.

The police have arrested nine people so far, including Zikra, two women and two minors. Raids were conducted across Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states to nab the suspects.

Kunal’s murder has intensified communal anxieties in Seelampur, with Hindu families alleging targeted attacks and threatening to migrate. Posters reading “Hindus are moving out” and “House for sale” have appeared on local homes and the victim’s family has sought refuge in a nearby temple. Locals describe a climate of fear, with many unwilling to even identify Zikra’s house to reporters.

Despite the mounting evidence and witness statements, Zikra has maintained her innocence. “I did not kill Kunal. I am being framed unnecessarily,” she told reporters while in police custody. Her lawyer has requested the preservation of CCTV footage from the camera installed at Zikra's landlord's House and also to direct police to preserve the recording of a TV interview of senior officer who reportedly stated that there was no evidence of her direct involvement in the crime.

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