Amethi: In a horrifying incident, a government school teacher, his wife, and their two young daughters were found shot dead at their rented home in Amethi on Thursday, just over a month after filing an FIR under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The victims were identified as Sunil Kumar (35), his wife Poonam (32), their six-year-old daughter Drishti, and a one-year-old infant. Sunil, a native of Rae Bareli, worked as a teacher at a government school in Panhauna, Amethi.
According to Amethi Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar Singh, the connection between the murders and the FIR filed in August is still under investigation. The FIR, lodged by Poonam on August 18 in Rae Bareli, was against a man named Chandan Verma, accusing him of harassment and eve-teasing. In her complaint, Poonam had also mentioned that Verma should be held responsible if any harm came to her family.
The shocking murders took place at the family’s home, about 60 kilometers from Amethi’s district headquarters. Neighbors reportedly heard gunshots and rushed to the scene, only to find the family dead at the rear of the house. Police officers and education department officials quickly reached the spot, with Amethi District Magistrate Nisha Anant and SP Anoop Kumar Singh leading the investigation.
Inspector General of Police Praveen Kumar, who was present at the crime scene, confirmed that the attack did not show any signs of forced entry. “It seems likely that the assailants were known to the family,” he said. As part of their investigation, police are reviewing CCTV footage from the area and involving Special Operations Groups and Local Intelligence Units to help identify the attackers.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his grief over the brutal killings, calling the incident “highly condemnable and unforgivable.” In a post on social media platform X, he assured the public that the culprits would be caught and severely punished. “The UP government stands with the victim’s family during this difficult time. Strict legal action will be taken against the criminals responsible for this heinous act,” the Chief Minister stated.
Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, while condemning the incident, took a dig at the current government’s handling of law and order. He shared a news clip about the murders on X with the cryptic caption, “Koi hai? Kahin hai?” (Is anyone there? Is someone anywhere?), questioning the state’s security situation.
Congress MP from Amethi, Kishori Lal Sharma, also lashed out at the government, criticizing the deteriorating law and order situation. “The criminals are now so fearless that they can carry out such savage acts in broad daylight. The entire Amethi family is both shocked and furious. Immediate action must be taken to arrest the criminals and give them the harshest punishment,” he posted on X.
Local police have formed multiple teams to probe the killings, but no arrests have been made yet. Senior officials from Lucknow are expected to join the investigation in Amethi.
