Man who allegedly killed mother, four sisters in Lucknow hotel room sent to judicial custody

Lucknow, Jan 2 (PTI) A man from Agra who allegedly killed his mother and four sisters in a hotel room here was sent to judicial custody on Thursday while police said efforts are on to arrest his father.

The incident took place at Hotel Sharanjeet in the busy Naka area of the city on Wednesday. Mohammad Arshad allegedly killed his mother Asma and sisters Alia (9), Aksa (16), Rahmeen (18) and Alshia (19), according to police.

He then shot a video in which he confessed to slitting the wrists and throats of his sisters and mother.

In the 6.5-minute selfie video, Arshad further claimed his father was also involved in the killings.

Central Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Raveena Tyagi said, "We have formed four teams to search and arrest the father, Mohammad Badr. The main accused Mohammad Arshad in his video confession claimed that his father was also involved in the murders. Arshad has been sent to judicial custody." A postmortem examination of the deceased was conducted by a panel of doctors, in camera Thursday afternoon, senior officials said.

Arshad's family lived in Agra and preliminary inquiry has revealed that he took the step because of domestic disputes.

In the video Arshad claimed that he took the extreme step due to harassment and oppression by the residents of his locality.

"I, along with my entire family, am forced to take this step in helplessness and despair... I have killed my sisters and myself. When the police get this video, I request that they hold the people of the locality responsible for all of this," he said. PTI CDN ZMN