Revenue officer among five found shot dead inside Saharanpur locked house

A wave of shock and grief swept through Sarsawa town in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district on Tuesday after five bullet-riddled bodies were discovered inside a locked house, including a revenue officer and four members of his family.

The gruesome incident occurred at the family’s residence in Kaushik Vihar Colony, a newly constructed home scheduled for inauguration next month.

Local residents gathered at the scene in disbelief as police and district administration officials cordoned off the area and launched a detailed investigation. Senior Superintendent of police Ashish Tiwar said the police were alerted to the presence of five bodies inside the house and promptly conducted a preliminary inspection.

The deceased were identified as Ashok Rathi, a revenue officer, along with his mother, wife, and two sons, all of whom sustained gunshot injuries. Police recovered three pistols from the scene. Preliminary findings indicate that all deaths were caused by gunshots, and investigators are also examining the revenue officer’s medical and psychological history to determine whether any health-related or personal factors may have played a role.

A forensic team has been deployed to collect evidence, and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. Police said the investigation is being conducted from all possible angles, including the possibility of murder-suicide, though no conclusions have been drawn yet.

Neighbours described the family as peace-loving and law-abiding, with no known disputes. “Their behaviour was normal, and they mixed well with everyone,” a resident said.

Local MP Imran Masood visited the site, expressing grief over the tragedy. “It is extremely tragic that an entire family lost their lives. Prima facie, it appears they may have taken their own lives as the house was locked from the inside. This is a matter of serious concern for society,” he said. He added that society must reflect on the factors that lead to such incidents.

With no immediate clues available, authorities said the motive behind the deaths will only be established after post-mortem reports and forensic analysis are completed.

With IANS inputs