Man sedates, kills 10 women of his family

years ago, son Mohammad Asad (5) and nephew Abdul Rehman (14) survived the killings. They did not suffer any injuries but Zahida and Afsar are undergoing treatment at the local Community Health Centre for suspected poisoning, said police.

“Both are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable,” said Dr G A Khan, superintendent at the health centre.

Jamaludeen, who was running a battery repair unit in the village, was the sole breadwinner for the 16-member family living in a four-room house, said police.

SP (Amethi) Santosh Kumar Singh said Zahida and Afsar told police that they “fell unconscious on Tuesday night after Jamaludeen gave them something to drink”.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Afsar said, “On Tuesday night, my father gave all the family members something to drink, saying that it would help prevent any illness due to high blood pressure and blood sugar. In the morning, when I woke up, I saw my aunt Husna Bano, who was sleeping next to me, lying dead. Then, I saw the others, too, lying dead with their throats slit. I rushed upstairs and saw my father hanging in the room.”

Police said they recovered two knives from the house, which had been sent for forensic examination, but had not found any suicide note. They added that a forensic team from Lucknow visited the crime scene.

Police identified the dead as Jamaludeen’s four daughters, Afreen Bano (18), Mariyam Bano (8), Saniya Bano (5) and Uzma Bano (2); his elder brother Shamsudeen’s widow Husna Bano (32) and her daughters Rubina Bano (17) and Tahseen Bano (9); his other brother Raees Ahmed’s wife Tabassum Bano (35) and her daughters Mehak Bano (7) and Nigar Fatima (6).

“Shamsudeen died around five years ago after a heart attack, while Raees went missing around six years ago. Jamaludeen has been taking care of their families,” said Lal Mohammad, a neighbour.

Bazaar Sukul station chief, Mohammad Hameed, said, “We were alerted by villagers in the morning. When we reached the spot, we found Zahida Bano standing in a dazed condition outside the house. We entered the house and saw 10 bodies in a room. In the room on the first floor, we found Jamaludeen hanging from an iron rod,” said Hameed.

Sub-inspector R K Singh, on duty outside the house, told The Indian Express: “The throats of all the victims were slit with two knives, which have been recovered. All the victims were sleeping in a room on the ground floor of the house. It appears that the family used to cook meals in the single room on the first floor.”

Police said that two other members of the family — Jamaludeen’s son Shanu (13) and Shamsudeen’s son Kamrudeen (19) — were sleeping at the repair unit that night.

“I have been sleeping inside the shop for the last five years. Shanu, too, started sleeping there three months ago. I rushed to the house after a neighbour told us about the incident,” said Kamrudeen.

Asked about police investigating a possible family dispute, village Pradhan Bilal Ahmed said, “I have never heard of any dispute in Jamaludeen’s family. They have been living in the village for over 10 years now.”

The murders led to tension in the village with residents staging protests and setting ablaze a car belonging to a journalist for allegedly “making up false stories”, said the pradhan.