Man sentenced to death for murdering wife, 2 sons in Uttar Pradesh; court calls it 'rarest of rare'

LUCKNOW: A district court in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar has awarded the death penalty to a man convicted of brutally murdering his wife and two minor sons in 2021, describing the crime as one of the "rarest of rare" cases. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh on the convict.District and Sessions Judge Sanjeev Kumar Tyagi delivered the verdict on Friday in the sensational triple murder case that had shocked the Turkpatti area nearly five years ago.According to the prosecution, the murders took place on the night of September 6, 2021, in Bhulahi Tola of Kishundas Patti village under Turkpatti police station limits. The convict, Rajesh Gupta, had allegedly slit the throats of his wife Nikki Gupta (30) and their two sons, Shivam (7) and Ayush (3), while they were asleep.Investigators said Rajesh suspected his wife of having an illicit relationship and frequently quarrelled with her over the issue. The suspicion eventually culminated in the gruesome killings.The case was registered on the complaint of Amar Gupta, a resident of Belwa Khurd (Belwa Karkhana) in the Pathherwa area and brother of the deceased woman. In his complaint, Amar alleged that Rajesh murdered Nikki and the two children using a knife, sickle and a sharp-edged agricultural tool.What made the crime particularly shocking was that after carrying out the murders, Rajesh allegedly walked into Turkpatti police station and informed police about the killings before surrendering. Police subsequently arrested him and began an investigation.During the probe, investigators found evidence of prolonged marital discord between the couple. The police chargesheet stated that Rajesh frequently questioned his wife's character and suspected her fidelity. Statements of witnesses and other evidence collected during the investigation supported the prosecution's case.The trial court heard testimony from 11 prosecution witnesses. During final arguments, the prosecution urged the court to treat the matter as a "rarest of rare" case and award the maximum punishment, citing the brutal killing of a woman and two innocent children.After examining the evidence on record, Judge Tyagi held Rajesh Gupta guilty of committing an exceptionally heinous crime. Observing that the murder of a wife and two helpless minor children in such a brutal manner fell within the category of the "rarest of rare" offences, the court sentenced him to death and imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 3 lakh.Following the verdict, the case once again became a topic of discussion in Kishundas Patti village, where residents recalled the horrific incident that had stunned the community in 2021. Villagers and relatives of the victims welcomed the court's decision, saying justice had finally been delivered to Nikki and her two young sons.