 The other names of the town are Shahabad, Shahbad or Shabad.The town was founded after the Second Battle of Tarain (Taraori) in 1192 by a general of Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Ghuri.Historically it was a Muslim majority town, with references made to a fort during Mughal times, and raids as well as sacking of the fort by Banda Singh Bahadur.