Badaun murders: What we know so far
In a horrific double murder incident, two children were hacked to death allegedly by a local barber in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun on Tuesday evening. The alleged assailant was identified as Mohammed Sajid, who was subsequently killed in an encounter with the police. The incident has sparked outrage among residents, leading to protests and unrest in the locality—Baba Colony. In response, a heavy police force has been deployed in the area. Here's what we know about the grisly murders.
Sajid visited his neighbor's home to borrow money
The incident took place around 8:00pm when Sajid visited his neighbor Vinod Thakur's home under the guise of borrowing Rs. 5,000 for his pregnant wife's medical expense. Thakur was not at home, and his wife Sangeeta offered Sajid tea. When Sangeeta entered the kitchen, Sajid enticed 11-year-old Ayush to accompany him upstairs to see his mother's beauty parlor and attacked him with a knife. When Aayush's younger brother Honey entered the room, he also met with a similar fate.
Assailant's death in police encounter, investigation continues
According to police, the assailant was fatally shot by cops while attempting to escape the scene of the crime. Alok Priyadarshi, the senior superintendent of police in Badaun, said that Sajid fired upon the police, prompting officers to return fire resulting in his death. Separately, the authorities discovered both the murder weapon and a revolver at the crime scene. An FIR has been filed naming Javed, Sajid's brother, as a possible suspect, and efforts are on to apprehend him.
Unanswered questions regarding the motive behind the murders
While the motive behind these brutal murders remains unclear, there are indications of a possible financial disagreement. Thakur, however, has refuted any conflict with Sajid over money. He added that his wife provided Sajid the money as requested by him. "The incident took place due to personal enmity...there is no communal angle to it. We are monitoring the situation...our social media cell is also monitoring it," a senior police official said.
Murders planned, claims family
The family, on the other hand, informed the police that Sajid escaped with his brother Javed, who was waiting outside on a bike. The family alleged that both Sajid and Javed were involved in the crime. According to News18, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Prashant Kumar, however, said there was only one person involved in the attack, Sajid, and no other. An investigation is underway.
