Lucknow: A 24-year-old man from Agra took his mother and four sisters to a hotel room here and allegedly killed them by slitting their throats and wrists on Wednesday, after which he recorded a video to say he did it because of “helplessness and despair” following “unimaginable atrocities” by people of his locality.
Central Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Raveena Tyagi said the incident took place at Hotel Sharanjeet in the busy Naka area of the city.
“The accused, identified as Mohammad Arshad (24), allegedly killed five members of his own family. Following the gruesome act, the local police promptly apprehended the accused from the crime scene,” she said.
The deceased have been identified as Alia (9), Alshia (19), Aksa (16) and Rahmeen (18) — all sisters of Arshad — and his mother Asma, according to the police.
The DCP said Arshad’s family lived in Agra and preliminary inquiry has revealed that he took the step because of domestic disputes.
The purported video surfaced on social media shortly after the shocking incident came to light in which Arshad confessed to slitting the wrists and throats of his sisters and mother.
In the 6.5-minute selfie video, Arshad claimed his father was also involved in the killings. Assistant Commissioner of Police Dharmendra Kumar Singh told PTI: “Searches are underway for the father and his role in the killings.”
Forensic teams have been deployed at the crime spot to collect evidence while a detailed probe has been launched into the matter, Tyagi said.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime and Headquarters) Babloo Kumar, after arriving at the scene, told reporters, “Inquiry is also being conducted with nearby hotel staff and any findings will be shared with the media as soon as they come to light… Regarding the bodies recovered, some show signs of injuries –on the wrist of one and on the neck of another.”
“Based on these marks, statements from witnesses and the post-mortem report, we are conducting a detailed investigation into the matter,” he added.
Arshad claimed that he took the extreme step due to harassment and oppression by the residents of his locality.
“I, along with my entire family, am forced to take this step in helplessness and despair… I have killed my sisters and myself. When the police get this video, I request that they hold the people of the locality responsible for all of this,” Arshad said.
Meanwhile, the incident has sent shockwaves through Islam Nagar neighbourhood in the Tehri Baghia area of Kuberapur in Agra where the family resided.
Neighbours in Agra described the family as reclusive and struggling with financial difficulties.
“Mohammad Badr and his son Mohammad Arshad lived here for around 10-15 years but never maintained good relations with anyone. They even misbehaved with the women in their family,” Alim Khan, a neighbour, claimed.
Khan also alleged, “I loaned them some money earlier to construct part of their house, and that’s when they moved in. But after that, they kept to themselves.”
He further recalled that when two years ago one of their daughters died, hardly anyone from the neighbourhood attended her last rites.
Another neighbour Fatima Begum claimed, “The father and son used to abuse and mistreat the daughters. One of their daughters had a troubled marriage, which worsened her situation,” adding the family’s rude behavior distanced them from everyone.
Arshad alleged that the people of his locality have committed “unimaginable atrocities” on his family members in order to snatch away their house. Despite raising their voices, no one ever listened to them, he claimed.
“It has been 10 days now, and we have been forced to sleep on the footpath and wander in the cold. They have taken our house from us, even though we have the legal papers for the property. We wanted to dedicate it to a temple and change our religion, but everything has been snatched away from us,” he further claimed.
Arshad also made an appeal to the police and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the video clip.
“When the police get this video, I have a plea to the Lucknow police and Yogi Ji (UP CM Yogi Adityanath) — Do not spare such Muslims. What you are doing is commendable because these Muslims are involved in land grabbing and oppression everywhere. They engage in unlawful activities, including counterfeit currency operations,” Arshad added.
He stressed that his family tried its best to take action against them but failed.
Arshad held the entire locality responsible for the killings. He named Ranu (alias Aftab), Ahmed, Aleem Khan, Salim Driver, Ahmed Ranu, Arif and Azhar as the responsible people.
“These people run a massive land mafia gang and are involved in human trafficking, including girls,” he alleged.
“Their plan was to frame us in a false case and send us to jail while selling our sisters to a man in Hyderabad who supplies girls. This was something we could not allow, and it is why we were forced to take this step. It is 2 am as I speak, and I have had to kill everyone by slitting their wrists,” he confessed.
Arshad showed in the video clip the bodies of his sisters, lying on a bed wrapped in blankets, and his mother.
Later, Arshad mentioned that he, too, might not survive until morning. He claimed that he had sought help from the police and various political groups, but no help ever arrived.
He said his family originally hailed from Budaun and possessed documents dating back to 1947 through his aunt, proving their identity. Despite this, they were being falsely accused and labelled as Bangladeshi migrants.
Arshad said, “Our entire family’s proof lies with our aunt. We wanted to convert to Hinduism because of the harassment from the locality. We wanted to build a temple there and live peacefully. We even used to worship.”
“In a little while, I will also die. But I want to say one thing — no family in India should have to face such a situation again. Modi ji and Yogi ji, I fold my hands and request you to understand that not every Muslim is the same.
“If we couldn’t get justice while alive, then after our deaths, the culprits should be given the harshest punishment,” he said, and claimed that the local people have political and police connections.
He said they have already taken half of their property and were trying to take the rest.
“But I must say that if you are true Hindus and Thakurs, please know we wanted to convert to Hinduism. That house should only become a temple, and whatever belongings we have, especially what our sisters lovingly collected, should be donated to an orphanage so that our souls may find peace,” he said.
Arshad also clarified that the people of the guest house where his family was staying in Lucknow were not at fault in this incident.
It is not yet clear when did the family reach Lucknow from Agra and also the reason behind it.
PTI
