Four unnatural deaths in five years in family

Silence and gloom prevailed in the neighbourhood in Jewar where the family targeted by highway robbers on Thursday night lived.

As soon as news of the alleged gang rapes and murder spread, the narrow alleys were packed with neighbours and relatives -silently waiting for the body of the man to come from the hospital for the last rites.

This was the fourth death in the joint family of four brothers in rather unnatural circumstances in the last five years.

In August 2013, the elder brother of the Jewar victim died when a train hit him when he was crossing a railway track on a bike. They still remember the crushed face and cannot forget the grief of that afternoon.

Before they could come to terms with the death, tragedy struck again. In March 2014, the second brother died of cardiac arrest at his shop. He was 48 and had not been keeping in good health after his brother’s death.

Two years later, in 2016, his son also died in a road accident in Greater Noida. The young boy was crossing an intersection when he was reportedly hit by a car. He died on the spot.

In 2017, the family lost one more person, who is survived by seven children -- three daughters and four sons. The children are aged 3 to 15.

The only remaining male head of the family said there was no personal enmity with anyone. “We are iron smiths. We have been doing this job for generations. Last night, when they left for Bulandshahr, my brother told me to take care of his toddler son. I did not know that I would be the only one remaining among the four brothers.”

The three daughters were trying to distract their young brothers from the grief. The man shot on Thursday had asked the eldest daughter to look after her toddler brother and assured they would be back in a day.

The house located in a narrow lane was guarded by police officers. The residents of the colony were also in a state of shock. They had never experienced such a situation before.