Under debt, man held for killing wife & 3 kids in Uttar Pradesh's Kotwali

KANPUR: Etawah police arrested a 51-year-old jeweller on Monday night for allegedly killing his wife, son, 10, and two daughters, 20 & 15, in the Kotwali police station area.

The accused told the cops during interrogation that prolonged business setbacks led to his depression. He initially administered soporific (sleep-inducing) pills to his family members before strangling them to death, police said.

According to police, the jeweller also attempted to end his life by positioning himself under a train at the station but miraculously survived. Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel detained him later. Following judicial formalities, he was remanded to jail on Tuesday.

Jeweller posted a WhatsApp status to announce deaths

Mukesh Verma (51), a jeweller from Lalpura, Kotwali area, amassed debt from substantial business losses, leading to depression. He told the cops that on Monday, he administered sleeping pills to his wife Rekha Verma (42), daughters Bhavya (20) and Kavya (15), and son Abhisht (10). Once they became unconscious, he strangled them using a rope. After the killings, he secured the house and left, with neighbours remaining oblivious.

He also posted a WhatsApp status announcing their deaths before heading to Etawah railway station where he positioned himself on the railway track.

However, despite eight carriages of the Marudhar Express passing over him, he survived due to his positioning. RPF staff rescued him, and during questioning, he confessed to killing four members of his family.

Police arrived and accessed the house with relatives’ assistance, discovering the four bodies. They subsequently arrested him. Rekha's family arrived upon notification, and her brother Satyendra Soni from Jhansi Mohalla Bhind lodged a complaint.

During interrogation, Mukesh Verma claimed that his debts and a resultant family discord led to a suicide agreement. He explained that his family members were unconscious from sleeping pills when he killed them. Etawah SSP Sanjay Kumar Verma indicated that the accused appeared mentally unstable.

“Post-mortem findings confirmed strangulation with rope following sedation. He was subsequently sent to jail after legal procedures,” the SSP added.

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