A gruesome incident unfolded in Amethi on Thursday as a family of four, including a one-year-old infant and a six-year-old girl, were shot dead in their home. The shocking attack occurred despite heavy police presence in the area due to a local fair that had drawn thousands of attendees.

According to police, unidentified assailants barged into the residence of Sunil, a 35-year-old government school teacher, and killed him along with his wife, Poonam (32), and their two young daughters. The family was living in a rented house near the Bhavani Nagar roundabout.

Law enforcement recovered nine shells and one live cartridge from the crime scene. Superintendent of Police Anoop Kumar Singh stated that Sunil, originally from Raebareli, was posted at a government school in Panhauna. Initial investigations revealed that the family had lodged a complaint against a man named Chandan Verma under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for eve teasing. Authorities are now probing whether the murders were linked to this case.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and vowed stringent action against those responsible. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he condemned the crime as “unforgivable” and extended his condolences to the bereaved family, assuring that the culprits would face the full force of the law.

Opposition leader and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also weighed in, sharing a cryptic video on social media, captioned simply, “Is anyone there?” to highlight the severity of the situation.