The murder of a father inside a blue drum in Lucknow has shocked residents, as it was a result of a domestic disagreement and has left the city on edge. The accused (a twenty-one-year-old male student) and the victim (his father) were engaged in multiple quarrels regarding the student’s preparation for the NEET competitive examination, which is one of the most rigorous medical entrance exams in India.
An Argument That Turned Fatal
A BCom student, Akshat Pratap Singh, is accused of fatally shooting his father, Manvendra Pratap Singh (50), who operated Vardhman Pathology. Investigators state that the 50-year-old wanted Akshat to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) because Akshat had previously studied biology in high school.
A fight caused the murder on February 20. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Vikrant Veer, the argument escalated. In anger, Akshat allegedly shot Manvendra in the head with a rifle. Manvendra died immediately after being shot.
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Investigators have stated that the accused attempted to destroy evidence. He transported Manvendra’s body from the third floor to a vacant room on the ground floor of the family home. Investigators have stated that Akshat then attempted to dismember Manvendra’s body. Some body parts were disposed of in Sadarona village; the remaining body parts were disposed of in an empty drum located inside the house.
Manvendra’s body was located after a missing persons report had been filed, and Akshat reportedly broke down and confessed to investigators.
A Family Under Strain
The family had previously lost someone close to them, as the accused’s (the person charged with the crime) mother passed away in 2018. At that time, the accused lived with his father and sister, and the officers stated that there had been frequent disagreements at home over whether or not to pursue the same career paths. The NEET has a large amount of importance in India and represents a sense of stability and status for many families. For some students, however, they put themselves under extreme pressure to succeed. The investigators believe this excessive pressure contributed to the deadly confrontation that occurred.
Investigation Under Way
High-ranking police officials have evaluated the crime scene and the forensic evidence gathered by law enforcement from the home. The officers have taken an individual suspected of committing this crime into custody and are still interviewing him regarding the events surrounding the crime. Until authorities finish their post-mortem assessment of the body and charge the accused, they will not provide any further information related to the details of this case.
As a result of this tragedy, there has been a larger discussion within the community of Lucknow around the expectations that parents have for their children and the resulting mental toll on young adults. At this time, one family has lost everything, and the community must now deal with how ambition, as it is forced on children, can break apart a family.
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