Elderly man, grandson hacked to death in Azamgarh; family dispute under lens

Varanasi: An elderly man and his grandson were hacked to death at Hevati Dihwa village under Pawai police station limits in Azamgarh on Friday morning.Police said the victims were killed while they were asleep at separate locations.

Multiple teams have been formed to investigate the case and trace the accused.According to police, the deceased were identified as Jagadamba Prasad Yadav (70) and his 25-year-old grandson, Ankit. Jagadamba was sleeping at his tubewell, around 300 metres from his house, while Ankit was asleep at home along with his grandmother, Phoolmati, and his two brothers. The attacker allegedly entered the house and repeatedly struck Ankit with an axe.Hearing screams, Phoolmati woke up and alerted Ankit’s brothers. The family rushed Ankit to the Community Health Centre in Nagpur, Ambedkar Nagar, where doctors declared him dead. When family members later went to the tubewell to inform Jagadamba about Ankit’s death, they found him lying in a pool of blood. He had multiple sharp-weapon injuries on his neck and body.News of the double murder spread quickly, triggering panic across the village.

Azamgarh SP Anil Kumar said that based on preliminary inquiry, family members have expressed suspicion against one of the deceased’s grandsons and some patidars (extended family members). Police have constituted special teams to arrest the accused and are investigating all possible motives.The SP said the family had earlier been embroiled in a dispute over the treatment of one of Jagadamba’s ailing sons. Based on the family’s statement, police suspect the murders may have stemmed from the ongoing family dispute.