Man axes 4 family members to death

Lucknow: A 40-year-old man allegedly axed his four family members to death and critically injured his elder brother following a long-standing property dispute at Basantpur Rudal village in Bahraich early Monday.

According to a preliminary investigation, the accused, identified as Nirankar Verma, struck the victim repeatedly with an axe for nearly 30 minutes.


Police said the accused first attacked his father, Badlu Ram (60), during an argument over the division of ancestral property. When other family members — his mother Sanju Devi (56), sister Parvati (42), and grandmother Sheetla Devi (80) — tried to intervene, he turned on them and killed all three.

Hearing the commotion, the elder brother, Gurudev Verma, rushed to stop the assault but was also attacked. He is currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital.

Gurudev's 10-year-old son witnessed the entire incident while hiding in fear. The child, identified as the sole eyewitness, reportedly stayed concealed after seeing his uncle carry out the attack. Police took him into protective custody and are recording his statement.

After committing the murders, the accused allegedly attempted suicide by repeatedly hitting his head with a brick. He collapsed due to excessive bleeding before villagers reached the house and found bodies lying on the floor and beds.

On being alerted, police rushed to the spot and took the accused into custody, and shifted him to a hospital. Due to his critical condition, he was later referred to a trauma centre in Lucknow.

The initial probe indicated that the two brothers were locked in a dispute over 18 bighas of agricultural land for several years. A piece of land had been sold by their father about 15 years ago, and the money was used to buy another plot. The accused allegedly did not get his share, leading to ongoing tension.

An FIR was registered on the complaint of Gurudev. ASP (Rural) Durga Prasad Tiwari said the case appears to be linked to a property dispute. "Forensic teams are on the spot. The weapon has been recovered and bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Adequate police force has been deployed as a precautionary measure," he said.