5-member family found dead in Saharanpur: Man suspected of killing them before dying by suicide

Close on the heels of the sensational killing of four members of a family in Etah, another shocking incident has come to light from Saharanpur district, where a man allegedly shot dead his mother, wife, and two sons before taking his own life.

The incident occurred in Kaushik Vihar Colony under the Sarsawa police station area of Nakur tehsil on Monday night, police said on Tuesday.

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The deceased has been identified as Ashok Rathi, who was working as an Amin (revenue official) in Nakur tehsil. According to police, Ashok shot his elderly mother, his wife, and his two sons—students of Class 9 and Class 10—using country-made pistols. All five bodies were found inside a single room.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP/DIG) Ashish Tiwari said that three country-made pistols were recovered from the spot, which are suspected to be unlicensed. Preliminary investigation suggests that the shots were fired from point-blank range. Bullet injuries were found on Ashok’s chest, while the children had gunshot wounds on their foreheads. Ashok’s mother and wife were also shot.

Upon receiving information, a large police force, a forensic team, and senior officials, including DIG Abhishek Singh and SP Rural Sagar Jain, reached the scene. The house was sealed, and the bodies were sent for postmortem examination. Police have also seized the mobile phones of the deceased for further investigation.

Ashok had reportedly got his government job under the compassionate appointment scheme after the death of his father. Neighbours described the family as quiet and said there were no known disputes, raising questions about what led to the tragic incident. Police said they are investigating the case from all possible angles and will disclose further details soon.

This incident comes just a day after another gruesome crime in the Etah district, where four members of a family, including three women, were murdered at their home in the Kotwali Nagar area. The crime came to light when a child named Devansh returned home from school around 2 pm and found the house silent.