Bareily: A desperate attempt to mend a fractured marriage ended in a horrific double murder and a life-threatening assault in the Rahpura Chaudhary locality of Izzatnagar on Monday afternoon. What was intended to be a peaceful family “panchayat” to resolve marital discord instead transformed into a scene of unimaginable carnage.
The conflict centered around Afzar Khan, a man in his late 30s, and his 30-year-old wife, Saima Khan. The couple, who wed in 2017, had been plagued by frequent domestic quarrels. For the past several days, Saima had been residing at her parents’ home to escape the friction. In a bid to save the marriage, family members and neighbours convened a mediation session on Monday to bridge the gap between the estranged couple.
As the mediation was underway, the atmosphere turned lethal. According to eyewitnesses and police reports, Afzar Khan suddenly produced a knife and lunged at his wife, Saima.
Afzar stabbed Saima in front of their two traumatized children, aged just 8 and 5, as well as several gathered relatives. When Saima’s family tried to protect her, Afzar turned his fury toward his in-laws. He repeatedly stabbed his mother-in-law, Asma (54), and his brother-in-law, Adil (20).
Both Asma and Adil sustained multiple deep wounds and bled to death on the spot before medical help could arrive.
Saima Khan, who sustained critical injuries while trying to fend off her husband during the assault on her mother and brother, was rushed to a local hospital. Doctors describe her condition as “serious,” and she remains under intensive medical supervision.
Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya confirmed the gravity of the situation, saying, “We are monitoring Saima’s health closely and will move to record her official statement before a magistrate as soon as she is medically fit.”
The police cordoned off the crime scene. A specialized forensic team has already conducted an extensive search of the house to gather physical evidence.
Police are in the final stages of registering a formal First Information Report (FIR) against Afzar Khan. Three dedicated police teams have been deployed to track down and arrest the accused, who fled the scene following the killings.
Investigators have seized CCTV footage from cameras installed inside the residence. Authorities believe this footage will provide an undeniable “frame-by-frame” sequence of the massacre.