Lucknow, Feb 24 (IANS) In a chilling incident in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, a 19-year-old youth allegedly shot his father dead, dismembered the body and concealed parts of it inside a blue drum at their residence, police said on Tuesday.
The victim, Manvendra Singh, a 49-year-old pathology lab owner, was reportedly killed following a dispute with his son over his future career. According to investigators, tensions had been brewing between the father and son over pressure to clear the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET).
Local residents said that the accused, Akshat Pratap Singh, had filed a missing person complaint on February 20. When no progress was made in tracing the man, neighbours mounted pressure on the local police station, prompting a more intensive probe.
Police said the crime took place around 4.30 a.m. on February 20 after a heated argument between the two. In a fit of anger, Akshat allegedly used a licensed rifle to shoot his father.
Officials said the shooting occurred in front of the victim's daughter, and the accused threatened her to remain silent about the incident.
After the killing, Akshat allegedly dragged the body from the third floor to the ground floor of the house, where he cut it into pieces. Some parts were placed in his car and transported to Sadrauna, a secluded area, where he disposed of them.
Police said the head was also dumped at the same location, but it has not yet been recovered.
However, when he attempted to dispose of the torso on Monday evening, a police patrol reportedly stopped him after noticing suspicious behaviour.
Following sustained questioning, he confessed to the crime. The torso was later recovered from a blue drum inside the house, while other remains had been transported in a vehicle and discarded elsewhere.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Vikrant Veer told IANS, "A missing person case was registered at Ashiyana police station for Manvendra Singh, aged around 49, who had been missing from his home since the morning of February 20. During the investigation, it was revealed today that his son, Akshat Pratap Singh, aged about 19, shot him dead with a rifle at around 4:30 p.m. on the same day."
"To hide the body and remove evidence, the accused chopped the body and threw some parts away at various locations, while the torso had been kept hidden in the ground floor of the house," he added.
DCP Veer said the accused has admitted to the crime and that further investigation is underway. Police said Akshat told them he killed his father because he was being pressured to crack the NEET examination and pursue a medical career.
According to officials, Akshat managed a liquor store owned by his father and received a monthly salary of Rs 17,000, but was reportedly unhappy. A senior officer involved in the probe said a ricocheted bullet was recovered from the room where the shooting took place. The rifle and the bullet have been sent for forensic analysis.
Investigators said Manvendra Singh wanted his son to prepare for competitive examinations and pursue a career in medicine, but Akshat was opposed to the plan.
The two reportedly had frequent arguments over the issue, and the youth had previously left home over similar disagreements.
On Monday evening, police conducted a raid at the house with Akshat in custody and recovered the drum containing the mutilated remains.
Forensic teams are examining bloodstains found in the car and inside the house, while search operations are underway to locate the missing body parts.
Efforts are ongoing to piece together the complete sequence of events.
--IANS
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