LUCKNOW A 19-year-old neighbour, the prime suspect in the brutal killing of a woman and her four children, was shot dead in a police encounter near the Neveria Bypass in Ambedkar Nagar early Monday. Two police personnel were also injured in the ensuing firefight. The accused, Aamir, was the central figure in a harrowing case that has shocked the district since the victims’ bodies were first discovered on May 2.
A combination of obsessive affection and greed for property is suspected to have triggered the killings, officials said.
The quintuple murder took place in the Miranpur locality under Akbarpur Kotwali area. The victims were identified as Ghaziya Khatun, 34, and her children — Shafeeq, 14, Saud, 12,, Umar, 10m and Sadia, 8. Khatun’s husband, Niyaz, has been living in Saudi Arabia for the past four years.
When the bodies of the four children were found on May 2, the mother was initially suspected to be behind the act. However, the narrative changed a day later when the woman’s body was found dumped in a drain, indicating that she too was a victim of the same perpetrator.
According to police, Aamir, who lived around 400 metres from the victims’ house, wanted to marry Khatun and gain control of her property. However, she refused his proposal. Investigators said tensions escalated on May 2, when Aamir allegedly assaulted the family. Khatun lost consciousness during the attack, after which he allegedly killed all four children. When she regained consciousness and raised an alarm, he allegedly murdered her as well.
In an attempt to mislead investigators, Aamir dragged Ghaziya Khatun’s body nearly 200 metres and dumped it in a drain, trying to create the impression that the mother had killed her children and fled. The plan initially worked, as police suspected the mother’s involvement when they found the children’s bodies inside the house and found her missing.
The case took a dramatic turn on Sunday when Khatun’s body was recovered from a nearby drain bearing multiple injury marks. The police then began probing the case as a homicide, scanning CCTV footage and questioning locals. Aamir soon emerged as the prime suspect, especially after it was found that he had been missing since the day of the murders.
Superintendent of Police Prachi Singh said a tip-off was received about Aamir’s presence near the Neveria Bypass early Monday. Police teams laid a siege to apprehend him. “When signalled to stop, he attempted to flee on a motorcycle. During the chase, he fell and opened fire at the police team,” she said.
“In retaliatory firing, Aamir sustained a bullet injury to the chest. He was rushed to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead. During the encounter, an SOG in-charge’s bulletproof jacket was hit, while a sub-inspector and a constable sustained injuries,” she added.
Police recovered a pistol, empty cartridges and a motorcycle from the spot. Further investigation into the case is underway.
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