KANPUR: A 38-year-old man was allegedly strangled by his wife, daughters and minor son in Mahoba district over fears that he would squander Rs 82,500 that he had arranged for his daughter’s wedding by selling cattle.The body was recovered from a drain in Haibatpura village under Panwadi police station limits on April 14.Superintendent of police, Mahoba, Shashank Singh, who supervised the investigation, said: “The man was addicted to alcohol and gambling. He had recently arranged Rs 82,500 for his daughter’s marriage, but his family feared he might squander the money, triggering frequent disputes at home.”“His wife, her three daughters, a minor son, and a youth, who was a friend of one of the girls, conspired to eliminate him. Acting on the plan, the accused allegedly strangled the man with a rope inside the house,” he added.The family later dumped the body in a nearby drain to pass it off as an unidentified or accidental death. They also tried to destroy evidence by breaking the victim’s mobile phone and concealing it in nearby bushes.Investigators said the family initially tried to mislead the police. However, inconsistencies in their statements and lack of cooperation raised suspicion.Teams from the special operations group (SOG), surveillance unit, and local police conducted sustained interrogation, which ultimately led to a breakthrough.“Technical analysis, including call detail records and last location tracking, did not yield concrete leads. The family’s behaviour and contradictory statements, however, hinted at their involvement,” the SP said.During questioning, the accused reportedly confessed to the crime. Police have recovered the rope used in the murder, Rs 82,500 cash, and the damaged mobile phone.The accused have been arrested while the minor boy has been sent to juvenile home.A reward of Rs 10,000 has been announced for the team that cracked the case.
