Key Accused In Amethi Murder Case Injured In Police Encounter During Escape Attempt

Lucknow: Hours after the main accused in connection to the fatal killing of four of a family in Amethi was arrested, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday informed that the latter had sustained a bullet injury on his leg as he was trying to flee their custody. Chandan Kumar is accused of shooting dead a a government school teacher, his 32-year-old wife, and two daughters at their home in Amethi."The main accused Chandan Verma was arrested on October 4... During interrogation, he snatched the pistol from SI Madan Kumar and attacked the police party. The police party fired in defence, due to which the accused was shot in the right leg. He has been brought to a hospital for treatment. Further legal action is being taken by the police," said ASP Harendra Kumar, according to ANI. Sunil Kumar, 35, a government school teacher, his 32-year-old wife Poonam, and the couple's two daughters, Drishti and Suni, were shot dead in the Ahorwa Bhawani area of Amethi.The brazen wipeout of the Dalit family has drawn widespread denunciation of the state government."The way my son has gone, they (killers) should go the same way," Ram Gopal, the father of the victim, told reporters earlier in the day in Amethi.

#WATCH | Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: ASP Harendra Kumar says, "Four people were shot dead on October 3, the main accused Chandan Verma was arrested on October 4... During interrogation, he snatched the pistol from SI Madan Kumar and attacked the police party. The police party fired in… pic.twitter.com/78lltlznFV

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2024

Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma said he had been in touch with Ram Gopal since yesterday."I have spoken to the DM of Amethi and asked him to probe the case from all angles. Let the police investigation get completed," he said."The government keeps patting its back, claiming good law and order, but if that is the case, why are such incidents happening?" he asked.Sharma, a first-time MP, said it was Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi who had asked him to go to his constituency.BJP's former Amethi president Durgesh Tripathi also met the family members of the deceased in Sudamapur village late Friday evening. Former BJP MP from Amethi Smriti Irani took to X to condemn the killings."The criminal incident that took place in Amethi is extremely heartbreaking and condemnable. The government stands with the victim's family with full seriousness and is determined to take the strictest action against the culprits," her post in Hindi read.In the wake of the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the loss of lives, while the opposition launched a sharp attack against the BJP dispensation over the law and order in the state.An initial police probe revealed that Poonam had lodged a police complaint against Chandan Verma in Rae Bareli on August 18 under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and for harassment."If anything happens to me or my family, Verma should be held responsible for it," she had written in the complaint, Amethi Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar Singh said Thursday.