2 murdered kids & a suicide: No answers 73 days on

NEW DELHI: The only words that Sannu Chaurasia has uttered since she came out of a coma have been, “Bachche kahan hain?” She is still in a semi-vegetative state and she gets some relief when she is told that her two children have gone to visit a cousin for the summer vacation. The 39-year-old woman also asks about her husband, Shyamji, and is told that he is not at home.
If Sannu knew what her husband had done on the night of April 20, she wouldn’t perhaps be so keen to learn about his whereabouts.That night the 42-year-old Shyamji allegedly bludgeoned his children, Kartik and Gunnu, and then attacked his wife in her sleep. The kids died and she slipped into a coma. After the bloodbath, police say, Shyamji killed himself by jumping in front of a train.

All that Sannu remembers of that night is giving the family dinner and then going to sleep. She doesn’t recall any argument or quarrel with Shyamji. Her relatives claim she had numerous cuts on her face and back and a major wound on her head from a hit by a metal rod, found at the spot by police. The same rod, the investigators claim, was used to murder Kartik and Gunnu. Sannu hasn’t recovered fully and has to be pipe-fed. TOI visited the house where the murders took place in east Delhi’s Pandav Nagar on Wednesday and found it locked. The owner said nobody was keen to rent the house because of its history.
Even 73 days later, the cops are unclear about the motive for the crime. They haven’t been able to record Sannu’s statement, who is the only material witness they have, but are probing the possibilities, including infidelity.
Sannu’s family in north Delhi also remained clueless about the possible reason for the mayhem. “There wasn’t anything wrong with the couple. We were a close-knit, happy family,” her sister said. “There were no financial troubles, no family tensions and no hostility.”
Sannu’s niece added, “Just 10 days before the incident, I visited them and everything was absolutely normal. We were in fact planning a trip together. There were no fights or arguments on the days I spent at their house.”
Some relatives, however, disclosed that Shyamji had begun to drink excessively in the past year. “He was also undergoing treatment and seeking help from a counsellor. Sannu ensured he took his medicines regularly,” said a family member.
The cops said they would look deeper into this ailment angle. They are waiting to record Sannu’s statement, but the charges against Shyamji would abate since he is no longer living, a senior officer explained.