Jaipur: Rajasthan Police apprehended Rahul Jha (45), accused of murdering his wife and three daughters in Jaipur, from a hotel in Reengus, said police on Monday.
He was arrested on Sunday night. After committing the murders, Jha reportedly travelled by e-rickshaw to visit three temples in Jaipur and spent the entire day there. During interrogation, police found that Jha had allegedly intended to kill only his wife and eldest daughter. He suspected that his eldest daughter was in a relationship and that a man was visiting their home. According to police, Jha’s wife would defend their daughter, which frequently led to arguments between the couple.
During questioning, Jha told police that he had been under stress over issues involving his wife and eldest daughter. He believed that his eldest daughter was involved in a romantic relationship and had been asking his wife for the past two to three months to counsel her.
According to the investigation, Jha suspected that someone was visiting his daughter at night. He was also reportedly upset that his daughter frequently went out with acquaintances.
Recently, she had participated in the Kanwar Yatra with a male acquaintance. Jha had repeatedly warned her to stay away from strangers, police said.
Preliminary investigation suggests that Jha had planned to kill his wife and eldest daughter. However, he was also concerned about who would take care of his two younger daughters if he was arrested and jailed after the killings. Police suspect that this concern led him to kill the younger daughters as well.
According to investigators, Jha had brought two large stones from outside the house and carried one of them inside. He first attacked his wife and then killed his eldest daughter.
He subsequently attacked his other two daughters, who were sleeping in a downstairs room. The woman and her three daughters were found murdered at their house in the Kardhani area of Jaipur.
During interrogation, police also questioned Jha about why he did not kill his 85-year-old father.
According to police sources, Jha’s father receives a monthly pension of Rs 33,000. Investigators found that the plan was for Jha’s brother to take care of their father after the rest of the family was killed. This was reportedly the reason his elderly father was spared.
Police investigation also revealed that Jha frequently visited the Khatu Shyam Ji temple. He had reportedly visited Khatu Shyam Ji just five or six days before the murders. When police began gathering information about Jha from neighbours and acquaintances after the crime, they learned about his frequent visits to Khatu. A police team subsequently visited Khatu Shyam Ji and examined CCTV footage.
Jha was spotted near a hotel in the footage. Based on his movements, police then examined CCTV footage from Reengus railway station. Investigators reportedly found Jha wandering around the railway station and the Bikaner bus stand throughout the day. These movements helped police trace and apprehend him at a hotel in Reengus.
(IANS)
