Three Elderly Of A Family Murdered In Prayagraj Village

Police on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the sensational triple murder of three elderly members of the same family in Nibi Kukurkatwa village under the Meja police station area in Prayagraj’s trans-Yamuna region within 24 hours of the crime.

Four persons, including the prime accused and the village head, have been arrested in connection with the case.

“An accused from the same village, along with his two associates, murdered three members of the family over a love affair. All the accused, including the main conspirator, have been arrested and further legal action is being taken,” said DCP (Yamunanagar) Vivek Chandra Yadav.

The victims—65-year-old Shyamlal Gupta alias Kallu, 60-year-old Indrawati Devi, widow of Doodhnath Gupta, and 55-year-old Amarawati Devi, wife of Nimbulal Gupta—were allegedly bludgeoned to death with a wooden peg and other blunt objects in the wee hours of Tuesday. Their blood-soaked bodies were found in the courtyard of their house on Tuesday morning.

According to police, prime accused Himanshu Yadav, 22, confessed during interrogation that he committed the murders with the help of his associates, Nihal Gautam and Rajan Yadav, following a dispute arising out of a love affair.

Shyamlal, the eldest among five brothers, ran a grocery shop in the village. Two of his brothers had died several years ago, while other family members lived elsewhere. At the time of the incident, Shyamlal was staying with his wife Phoolkali Devi, Indrawati Devi and Amarawati Devi.

A neighbour spotted the bodies on Tuesday morning and alerted villagers, who informed the police. Phoolkali Devi was found in a distressed condition inside the house. Police said assailants allegedly spared her because of her mental health condition.

Police commissioner Joginder Kumar, additional police commissioner Dr Ajay Pal Sharma and DCP (Yamunanagar) Vivek Chandra Yadav, visited the crime scene and supervised the investigation.

Based on a complaint lodged by Amarnath alias Lala Gupta, uncle of deceased Shyamlal, police registered a murder case and arrested Himanshu, Nihal and Rajan later on Tuesday.

During questioning, Himanshu allegedly revealed that he was in a relationship with Shyamlal’s niece and wanted to marry her, but her family opposed the match.

Police also arrested village head Guddu, alleging that he had earlier mediated between the two families during a village panchayat convened after the couple had reportedly eloped in February this year.

The probe further revealed that a complaint regarding the threats had been submitted through the Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS) portal. However, police alleged that local beat officer sub-inspector Ram Vilas Yadav failed to act on it. Following the murders, DCP Vivek Chandra Yadav suspended the sub-inspector for prima facie negligence.

Police officials said Himanshu came to the conclusion that marriage would not be possible as long as Shyamlal was alive and began plotting the murders.

Police said Himanshu called Shyamlal on his mobile phone around 10.15 pm on Monday and reached his grocery shop along with Nihal and Rajan. An argument reportedly broke out over the marriage. During the altercation, Himanshu allegedly picked up a wooden peg lying nearby and struck Shyamlal on the head, killing him on the spot.

Hearing Shyamlal’s screams, Amarawati rushed out of a room. Before she could raise an alarm, Himanshu allegedly attacked her repeatedly on the head and killed her.

As the accused tried to flee, Indrawati returned from the fields. Fearing that she could identify them, the trio allegedly killed her as well before escaping.

Senior officers said efforts are underway to verify whether she is a major or a minor. If she is found to be an adult and evidence linking her to the crime emerges, legal action will be initiated against her as well.