UP: Woman Shot Dead With Family In Amethi Had Reported To Cops About Eve-Teasing, Threat To Life 2 Months Ago

A government school teacher, his wife and two daughters were allegedly shot dead at their rented accommodation on Thursday

The woman, who was murdered with her family at their home in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi on Thursday, approached police around two months ago claiming a threat to the life of her and her family from a man who for eve-teased her. 

Thirty-five-year-old Sunil Kumar, an assistant teacher in a composite school, his wife Poonam Bharti (35) and two children-- Drishti (6) and his one-year-old daughter-- were at their rented home in Amethi's Bhavani Nagar when a few men barged in on Thursday and shot all of them. Sunil was a native of Rae Bareli and was posted in a government school in Amethi's Panhauna.

During the probe into the case, police found that Poonam had lodged an FIR against Chandan Verma in Rae Bareli on August 18 under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and for eve-teasing, according to Superintendent of Police of Amethi Anoop Kumar Singh.

In her complaint, Poonam said that "if anything happens to her or her family", Verma should be held responsible for it, according to a report by PTI. However, the police said that it is not yet clear if the deaths are related to the case. 

The Case

The horrific killing happened around 60 kilometres from the district headquarters. According to the neighbours, upon hearing loud gunshots, they reached the house to find the family dead on the back side.

Soon officials of the police and education departments rushed to the spot. The police have formed teams to probe the matter. Teams of Local Intelligence Unit and Special Operation Groups have also been asked to assist in the investigation.

"We are scanning the CCTV footage of cameras in the area as part of an effort to identify the assailants," PTI quoted an officer as saying.

According to Inspector General of Police Praveen Kumar, the assailants appeared to be known to the deceased. "It has been revealed in our preliminary forensic investigation of the crime scene that there is no sign of forced entry. Prima facie it appears that the assailants may have been known to the victims' family," Kumar said.

BJP Vs Opposition

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident. In a post in Hindi on X, he said, "The incident that happened in Amethi district today is highly condemnable and unforgivable. My condolences are with the bereaved families. In this hour of grief, the UP government stands with the victim's family. The culprits of this incident will not be spared at any cost, strict legal action will be taken against them."

Meanwhile, former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, while reacting to the incident, questioned the law and order situation in the state in a cryptic post on X. "Koi Hai? Kahin hai? (Is anyone there? Is someone anywhere?)," Yadav posted while sharing a news clip of the incident.

Congress MP from Amethi Kishori Lal Sharma also attacked the government over the murders. "In Shivratanganj area of Amethi, miscreants barged into a house and brutally shot dead Sunil Kumar, assistant teacher in a composite school, his wife and two children. The savage criminals killed the entire family," Sharma wrote in Hindi on X.

"Hearing about this heart-rending incident sent shivers down the spine. The entire Amethi family is as upset as they are angry," he said.

"This mass murder is the result of the government's ruined law and order situation. The criminals are fearless. The police administration should immediately arrest the criminals and give them the harshest punishment," he added.