UP man hacks to death 4 of family with axe — then hits himself with a brick

The accused, Nirankar Verma (30), and his elder brother, Gurudev Verma (36), are undergoing treatment at a local hospital; doctors have said their condition is stable.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Bahraich, Durga Prasad Tiwari, said a preliminary inquiry indicated that the incident took place after a sudden dispute as the accused was angry over not being given a share of the money.

According to police, they received information about the incident early Monday morning. A police team rushed to the spot and found six people lying on the ground with visible injury marks. They were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, where four of them died.

Neighbours outside the home. Express

Police pieced together the sequence of events after questioning Gurudev.

He told police he had heard loud noises late at night. When he stepped out of his room to check, he claimed he saw Nirankar involved in a heated argument over money from land and jewellery reportedly sold by their father.

In a fit of rage, Gurudev claimed, Nirankar picked up an axe and attacked his parents, grandmother and sister before hitting him on the head.

Hearing the commotion and Gurudev’s cries for help, neighbours rushed to the house. Amid the chaos, Nirankar allegedly struck himself on the head several times with a brick.

Gurudev’s son, Azad, was also present in the house at the time of the incident, said police.

Police said they are recording statements of relatives and local residents to ascertain the family’s background and circumstances leading up to the crime.

Nirankar is married but he and his wife have been living separately for the past few years following a marital dispute, police added.

A neighbour of the deceased, Arvind Kumar, said the incident came as a complete shock to residents of the area. “We had never heard of any serious dispute within the family. The brothers were never seen quarrelling in public or having arguments with villagers. What we saw from outside appeared normal, but it now seems that the reality inside the house was very different,” he said.

Circle Officer, Bahraich, Pahup Singh, said a preliminary investigation points to a dispute over money as the immediate trigger behind the crime. However, he said police are also examining other possible angles to ascertain whether there was any additional motive.

Police said the bodies have been sent for an autopsy and the reports are awaited.