KANPUR — In a crime that has sent shockwaves through Kidwai Nagar, a drug-addicted father orchestrated what police are calling a “premeditated conspiracy,” brutally murdering his twin daughters with a meat cleaver while they slept. The horrific act, triggered ostensibly by a dispute over television usage, was captured in its entirety by CCTV cameras installed inside the family’s apartment.
A Night of Horror at Trimurti Apartments
The tragedy unfolded at Flat G-4 of the Trimurti Apartments. According to police reports, Saturday evening began normally for the Mishra family. Around 11:00 PM, the accused, Shashiranjan Mishra, had dinner with his wife, Reshma, their twin daughters, Riddhi and Siddhi, and their son, Rudrav.
The atmosphere soured when Shashiranjan ordered the family to turn off the TV and go to sleep. When the young girls requested to finish their cartoons, Shashiranjan initially tried to bargain, promising to take them to the cinema on Tuesday. However, when the children persisted, he flew into a violent rage, threatening the entire family.
Terrified, Reshma took her son to the master bedroom, while the two daughters—who were notably more attached to their father—went to sleep in Shashiranjan’s room.
Captured on Camera: A Calculated Execution
Between 1:50 AM and 3:35 AM, while the rest of the house was silent, Shashiranjan carried out the killings. Naubasta Inspector Bahadur Singh confirmed that CCTV cameras, which were installed in every room except the master bedroom and bathroom, recorded the entire sequence.
During police interrogation, the accused revealed a chilling level of calculation:
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Targeting the Stronger Child: Shashiranjan admitted to killing Siddhi first because she was “physically stronger.” He feared that if he killed Riddhi first, Siddhi might wake up and overpower him or alert her mother.
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The Method: He first strangled Siddhi with both hands to silence her before using the meat cleaver.
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Cold-Blooded Patience: After the first murder, he sat silently on the bed. When Riddhi woke up to use the washroom, he calmly escorted her there and back. Once she fell back into a deep sleep, he murdered her as well.
Evidence of Premeditation
While the TV dispute served as the immediate catalyst, investigators have uncovered evidence that this was no “fit of rage.”
Five days prior to the incident, Shashiranjan purchased a professional meat cleaver from the Moolganj market for ₹500. He smuggled the weapon into the house inside a bag and hid it in his wardrobe to keep it out of his wife’s sight. He further confessed that he had attempted to carry out the murders on several previous occasions but had “lost his courage” until Saturday night.
A History of Domestic Violence
The victim’s mother, Reshma, informed authorities that this was not the first time her husband had turned violent.
“He is short-tempered and addicted to intoxicants. Two years ago, he attacked me twice with a knife. I filed a complaint, but I didn’t press charges because he admitted his fault to the police.”
Due to his volatile nature, the couple had been sleeping in separate rooms for several years.
Police Action
The Kanpur Police have arrested Shashiranjan Mishra and recovered both the meat cleaver and a hammer used in the crime.
“The accused has confessed to the crime. He used a combination of strangulation and the cleaver to kill the victims,” stated Dipendra Nath Chaudhary, DCP (South). “While he has not disclosed a specific motive beyond his erratic behavior, his history of substance abuse and the purchase of the weapon five days in advance clearly point to a planned homicide.”
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