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Lucknow blue drum murder: Family’s ‘unusually calm’ conduct raises eyebrows
The conduct of Akshat’s younger sister was startling; she continued attending school and even appeared for her examinations
Lucknow: As the blue drum horror in Ashiana continues to send tremors across the city, investigators are closely examining the contradictory statements and “unusually calm” conduct of family members who were inside the house when the killing allegedly took place.
From the time when Manvendra Singh was allegedly shot dead, until the arrest of his 21-year-old son Akshat Singh, several actions and claims by those present in the four-storey Sector L residence have raised eyebrows, said police sources.
Investigators are piecing together the timeline of events inside the house and examining whether anyone else had prior knowledge of the crime. While no other family member has been named as an accused so far, police said all angles remain open.
A day after the alleged murder, the deceased’s brother, a head constable with UP Police, posted in Lucknow, left for his native village in Jalaun along with his wife and two children. The family lived on the second floor of the same Ashiana house.
When questioned, they reportedly told police they did not realise a gunshot had been fired, assuming the sound was that of wedding firecrackers due to the ongoing wedding season. Investigators are verifying this claim.
Equally startling to police was the conduct of Akshat’s younger sister, a Class 11 student. Despite allegedly witnessing the fatal shooting and subsequent dismemberment, she continued attending school and even appeared for her examinations in the following days.
DCP (central) Vikrant Vir said the accused had threatened to kill her, if she spoke about the crime. “The sister witnessed the entire episode, but was intimidated into silence,” he told HT, adding that the teenager’s statement is crucial to the case.
Akshat allegedly attempted to stage a façade as he first said his father had left for Delhi. Later, he filed a missing person complaint for his father on February 20, projecting himself as a worried son. Police traced the victim’s last mobile location to his pathology lab in Kakori, but inconsistencies in Akshat’s version soon surfaced.
During interrogation, he allegedly shifted stands, first claiming his father had died by suicide and later admitting to shooting him during an argument. “His inconsistent statements raised red flags. Sustained questioning led to his confession,” the DCP said.
