‘Uncle will shoot us’: Twins yet to recover from trauma of Farrukhabad hostage crisis

Although the man who held the children hostage was killed in a police operation late Thursday night, the two sisters feared that he was still around and could harm them, their father said.

Ten-year-old twin sisters Ganga and Jamuna are yet to recover from the nearly nine-hour trauma they underwent during the hostage crisis at Karthia village in Farrukhabad district on Thursday night, their father said on Friday.

Items found in the basement of the house whereSubhash Batham, a murder accused, held 23 children hostage, at Karthia village, Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh, Friday, January 31, 2020. (Deepak Gupta / HT Photo)

A murder accused, Subhash Batham, had held 23 children, including the twins, hostage in the basement of his house.

Although Batham was killed in a police operation late Thursday night, the two sisters feared that he was still around and could harm them, their father said.

“The incident has left a deep impact on their minds and they are often heard saying: ‘Uncle will shoot us all’,” said Asharam Kumar, the father of the duo.

The father of the twins said he was yet to come to terms with the ordeal that his daughters, ‘who were born after many prayers’, underwent.

Batham and his wife came to his house on Thursday afternoon to invite the twins on the pretext of his daughter’s birthday, Kumar recalled.

The twins’ father said when his daughters didn’t come back home even after 5pm, he went to Batham’s house.

But Batham refused to send them home and locked the door, saying the children won’t go back, Kumar said.

“Initially, we tried to pacify him but he was not ready to listen. After some time, he opened fire at us. We then informed the police,” he added.

The two sisters said all the children held captive were asked to sit quietly in the basement or else he (Batham) will shoot them all.

“Uncle also told us that if we do not keep quiet, he will detonate a bomb,” the sisters said.

Akash Katheria, a 12-year-old boy who was among the hostages, said Batham’s wife Ruby was helping him and shouting at the children whenever they cried out in fear.

The boy’s seven-year-old sister, Lakshmi , said they had no choice but to keep quiet as Batham was firing from inside the house.

However, the children also said he gave them chocolates and biscuits. The children were rescued late Thursday night.