Amethi murder case: Main accused shifted to district jail in Raebareli district of Uttar Pradesh

Police arrest Chandan Verma after he sustained injuries to his right leg during an encounter with police on October 5, 2024. | Photo credit: PTI

“Chandan Verma, accused of killing a Dalit family in Amethi, has been shifted to the district jail in Raebareli,” officials said on Sunday (October 6, 2024).

Verma (35), who was arrested on Friday (October 4, 2024), was shot in the leg by police on Saturday (October 5, 2024) as they tried to recover the pistol he allegedly used in the killing .

He was taken to the hospital, from where he was transferred to the county jail Saturday evening. Verma was produced in the court on Saturday evening and sent to jail. Jail superintendent Aman Kumar said Verma arrived at the jail around 8pm on Saturday.

The government school teacher, his 32-year-old wife Poonam and their two daughters Drishti and Suni were shot dead in Ahorwa Bhawani area of ​​Amethi on October 3.

During initial investigation, police found that Poonam had lodged an FIR against the accused on August 18 in Rae Bareli for teasing in the evening and under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The complainant had also mentioned that “if anything happens to her or her family,” Verma should be held responsible. Verma, a resident of Raebareli, told police that he reached the victims' house on Thursday (October 3, 2024), became angry over a discussion there and shot the family members. He confessed to killing all four.

Verma said he had been having an affair with Poonam for the last 18 months, adding that the relationship turned sour later, which left him stressed and this led to the murders. “The accused also said he tried to commit suicide but the pistol misfired,” police said.

Police Commissioner Anoop Kumar Singh earlier said that Verma fired 10 shots from a pistol. Referring to a social media post by Verma, Mr Singh said: “He planned to shoot himself after killing the four family members. He was the fifth person, but his suicide attempt failed.”

The bodies of the Dalit school teacher and his wife, who were shot dead along with their two daughters, were consigned to flames at Gola Ganga Ghat in Raebareli on Saturday while the children were buried.

Late woman Poonam's brother Bhanu has refuted Verma's claims of an illicit relationship with his sister. “He [Chandan] I always forced my sister to talk to him. He also forcefully took photos with her which are now being circulated,” Bhanu told reporters.