LUCKNOW: The suspect who shot and killed a govt school teacher, his wife and the couple’s two daughters in their house in UP‘s Amethi on Thursday evening has been identified as an allegedly jealous lover whose WhatsApp status before the crime read, “Today five people will die.”
Investigators said suspect Chandan Verma, who was on the run until late Friday, loved Poonam (30) and would video chat with her until the latter’s husband – Sunil Kumar (34), a Dalit man – came to know about their alleged relationship.On Aug 18, Sunil made Poonam lodge a complaint against Chandan under SC/ST Act in Raebareli, accusing him of threatening her family.
The complaint stated that if any member of Poonam’s family was harmed, Chandan should be held responsible for it. “Chandan shot the teacher three times, Poonam twice, and their daughters – Shrishti (5) and Samiksha (18 months) – once each. He possibly used a .32 bore countrymade pistol,” police said. It wasn’t immediately known who was the fifth person he intended to kill.
Additional SP Harendra Kumar said Chandan was named in a complaint by Sunil’s father, Ram Gopal. He said a preliminary probe revealed that he knew Poonam before she married Sunil.
Ram Manohar Yadav, who runs a medical store nearby, was the first to report hearing gunshots in the victims’ rented accommodation at Ahorwa Bhawani Chowk. That was around 6.50pm on Thursday. “I got scared and immediately informed the police. When they arrived, all four victims were drenched in blood,” he said.
Sunil hailed from Sudaamapur village in Raebareli. Before becoming a teacher, he served in UP police. He had been teaching at Panhauna primary school in Amethi since March 12, 2021.
He and his family had been living in this house in Aherewa Bhawani Chauraha for the past three months.