Dalit Family Murder in Amethi: Victim's Brother Denies Claims of Illicit Relationship

The bodies of a Dalit school teacher and his family, who were tragically killed in Amethi, were cremated on Saturday. The teacher, Sunil Kumar, his wife Poonam, and their two daughters were shot dead on Thursday evening. The accused, Chandan Verma, was arrested in Noida the following day. The children were buried at Gola Ganga Ghat.

Verma allegedly murdered the family after his relationship with Poonam ended. However, Poonam's brother Bhanu denied these claims, stating that Verma forced interactions with her. "He Chandan used to force my sister to speak with him. He also took pictures with her forcefully, that are now being circulated," Bhanu told reporters.

Police Inaction and Community Response

Bhanu criticised the police for not acting on a complaint filed by Poonam earlier. "Had the local police taken action against Chandan after my sister lodged an FIR, this incident would have not happened," he said. The community gathered in large numbers to protest the killings and demanded justice for the family.

The grieving family initially refused to perform the last rites on Friday. They relented only after Sunil's brother Sonu arrived late at night. Heavy police presence was maintained to ensure order as villagers expressed their anger over the incident.

Government's Assurance and Political Reactions

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the victims' relatives in Lucknow on Saturday. During a 30-minute meeting, he expressed his condolences and promised support. BJP MLA Manoj Pandey stated, "The UP Chief Minister while expressing grief, said that he stands with the family, and assured that all possible help will be given."

The Chief Minister assured financial aid, a government job for one family member, and land allocation. Adityanath later shared a photo from the meeting on social media, reiterating his commitment to justice for the victims.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the government's response without naming anyone directly. He suggested that if taking photographs solves problems, a photographer should be appointed as a minister.

Investigation Details and Accused's Confession

The police investigation revealed that Poonam had filed an FIR against Verma on August 18 for harassment under various acts. Verma confessed to killing the family after becoming enraged during a visit to their home. He claimed an affair with Poonam had soured over 18 months.

Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar Singh stated that Verma fired ten shots during the incident. A social media post by Verma hinted at his plan to kill five people, including himself. However, his suicide attempt failed when his pistol misfired.

Confrontation with Police

On Saturday morning, while recovering the murder weapon from a canal, Verma allegedly attacked Sub-Inspector Madan Kumar Singh. Inspector Sachchidanand Rai shot Verma in self-defence, injuring him in the leg. Verma was hospitalised but is out of danger according to Chief Medical Officer Dr Anshuman Singh.

Former state minister Swami Prasad Maurya and Bahujan Samaj Party's Vishwanath Pal attended the cremation. Pal criticised the police for their delayed response, stating that timely action could have prevented the tragedy.