Kanpur businessman kills twin 11-year-old daughters, calls police to confess

The police are examining a possible family dispute as a key line of inquiry in the case.

The police said Mishra appeared to be mentally unstable and may have been suffering from depression. They claim to have recovered several medicines from his room and are examining whether he had been under treatment. They are also examining whether he suspected that his wife was having a relationship with another man. Officers added that CCTV cameras had been installed across the residence.

“We have arrested Shashi Ranjan Mishra and are questioning him to ascertain the motive behind the killings. Mishra has confessed to the crime,” said Deependra Nath Chaudhary, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kanpur.

The police have found that Mishra was not on good terms with his neighbours.

Chaudhary said that Mishra will be subjected to further detailed questioning as the investigation continues.

A native of Bihar, Mishra married Reshma, who is from Siliguri, West Bengal, in 2014 after the two met in Kanpur. Reshma had previously worked at a beauty parlour in the city but has since left her job. The family had been living in a rented flat in Trimurti Apartment for the past eight years.

Reshma told the media that she did not witness the crime. She stated that the couple’s relationship had become strained some time after their marriage. She alleged that Mishra frequently consumed alcohol and assaulted her while intoxicated. He also prevented her from visiting her parental home in West Bengal and subjected her to verbal abuse. She further claimed that he would ask her to leave with their son while keeping the twin daughters with him.

Girls’ mother demands death penalty

Reshma has demanded the strictest possible punishment, saying her husband should be sentenced to death.

According to police, at around 4.30 am on Sunday, a call was received at the police control room from Mishra, who allegedly stated that he had killed his twin daughters at their residence.

A police team was immediately dispatched to the scene, and a forensic unit was also called in to conduct a detailed examination and collect evidence.

During questioning, Reshma told the police that on Saturday night, after dinner, Mishra went into the bedroom with the two minor girls, while she retired to another room with their son.

Mishra claimed to have killed his first daughter at 1.30 and then the second daughter at 3 am, said the police.