This story is from April 25, 2020

Uttar Pradesh: Five of family found dead inside home in Etah

Five members of a family were found dead under mysterious circumstances at their house in Uttar Pradesh's Etah on Saturday morning.
Uttar Pradesh: Five of family found dead inside home in Etah
AGRA: Five members of a family were found dead under mysterious circumstances at their house in Uttar Pradesh's Etah on Saturday morning.
The incident took place in Shringar Nagar colony close to Grand Trunk road, nearly three kilometres away from Kotwali police station.
The deceased were identified as Rajeshwar Pachauri (75), a retired clerk of the health department, his daughter-in-law Divya Pachauri (33), her sister Bulbul (25) and Divya’s two sons Aarush (10) and Aarav (1).

Etah murder

According to police, a toilet cleaner bottle, sachet of sulphas and blood stained sharp edged blade were lying on the floor, but there was no forced entry inside the house as almost everything in the house was kept intact. Superintendent of police Sunil Kumar Singh along with SP crime Rahul Kumar and other officials with police forced, dog squad and forensic reached the spot within 20 minutes of distress call from neighbours about the incident.

etah family murder

The police had to use a gas cutter to break the strong irongate in order to enter inside the house and later forensic team collected the evidence and fingerprints from the spot.
"As soon we entered inside the house, Divya’s body was found lying on cot closed to entrance gate. Her left wrist was slit with blade. Her father-in-law Rajeshwar was lying dead with blood soaked bed in living area, while Divya’s sister Bulbul was found dead on a cot at first floor. Her neck had ligature marks. The bodies of two children were also on first floor inside bedroom. Their mouth was filled with foam and blood," said a police source.
Station house officer Ashok Kumar of Etah Kotwali said, "The first information to police was shared by victim’s neighbour advocate Alok Tiwari, after a milk delivery woman alerted about Divya’s body lying on cot and none of the members were opening the gate even on persistent knock.”
According to police, after the autopsy, the five bodies were handed over to Diwakar Pachuari, the husband of Divya, who works in Roorkee based pharmaceutical company.
Meanwhile, police sources confirmed TOI, that four victims including Divya, her sister Bulbul, father-in-law Rameshwar and elder son Aarush had poisonous substance in their body, while Aarav was smothered to death.
SP crime Rahul Kumar said, “We are yet to study the autopsy report, however crime scene was recreated in front of the family to explain the possible sequence of event. Our initial investigation ascertained, that no sign of forceful entry or exit was seen in the house. Secondly, presence of sulphas suggest, that it was pre-planned act, as no ordinary person or family keeps chemical like sulphas in home.”
“Further, we found bowl of milk in which intoxicant and poisonous substance was mixed, and was offered to victims. The two children possibly died of poisonous substances, while Bulbul was strangulated in her sleep, so as Rajeshwar whose head was hit with heavy instrument in sleep. It’s likely, that both the adult victims were also given intoxicant substances to get them unconscious before the murder, as there was no sign of struggle on the bed of the victims,” claimed SP crime.
He also added, “That sharp blade used by Divya to slit her left hand was found near her children’s body inside bedroom with blood, however her body was lying on cot at the entrance of the house. Her mouth too had foam which had formed after the intake of poison.”
“Looking at the crime scene, there are several theories, but we are yet to ascertain the sequence of event. Our team is investigating and questioning the family members to get any clue behind the five deaths,” said SP Etah Sunil Kumar Singh.
According to police, at around 9 pm, Divya and her sister Bulbul had interacted with her mother on phone and both women had normal conversation with their mother, who lives in Sonai village of Raya police jurisdiction of Mathura district.
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About the Author
Arvind Chauhan

Arvind Chauhan is an experienced journalist with a demonstrated history of working in the newspapers industry as well as for the social media wing as digital content creator. He has covered subjects like railways, aviation, defence, energy, health, real estate, minority affairs, women and child development, crime, customs, telecom, district court, district administration, roads and infrastructure, armed forces tribunal, and regional politics across Uttar Pradesh. He began his career in Lucknow, and has done reporting in West Uttar Pradesh. He has won the Times Scribe Award four times including for busting fake news, and extensive coverage on Covid orphans. He graduated with a journalism degree from Times School of Journalism and BA (Honors) in English from Lucknow University.

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