Azamgarh/Lucknow: She is too young to grasp the full horror that unfolded inside her home, but she could be the only eyewitness to the deadly sequence that claimed the lives of her mother, two priests and her six-year-old brother.Still shuddering after the ordeal, the 10-year-old has been struggling to come to terms with the loss of her younger brother, whom she remembers as caring, playful and always close to her.In her account, the girl, still on a hospital bed, recalled how the family had been holding a puja at their home when the tragedy unfolded.“Today was the last day of the puja,” she told those around her, describing how her father, Arvind, opened fire.She said her father first shot her mother, Babita, and the two priests. She then described the most painful moment for her — her father shooting her younger brother.According to her, Arvind subsequently used the gun to threaten those around him, leaving the children trapped in the terrifying situation inside the house.As police surrounded the house and attempted to persuade Arvind to surrender, she remained inside with her brother and sister. The hours stretched into the night as security personnel tried to negotiate with their father.By the time the operation ended, she had lost her mother and brother, while two priests were also dead.A senior police officer said the girl’s account is significant because she was present during the shootings and survived the hours-long standoff. Her testimony could, therefore, become an important part of the investigation into what happened inside the house.For now, the focus around her is less on the investigation and more on helping a frightened 10-year-old child cope with a loss that is difficult for an adult to comprehend, said another officer privy to the probe.
