Lucknow: Over 20 children, aged between six months and 15 years, were rescued after an armed man, a murder accused who took them hostage, after inviting them for a birthday party at his house in Farrukhabad district, was killed on Thursday night, police said.
Although Batham was killed in a police operation, the two sisters’ ten-year-old Ganga and Jamuna still fear that he is around and could harm them, their father said.
“The incident has left a deep impact on their minds and they are often heard saying: ‘Uncle will shoot us all’,” said Asharam Kumar, the father of the duo.
The father of the twins also said that he was yet to come to terms with the ordeal that his daughters, ‘who were born after many prayers’, underwent.
Batham and his wife came to his house on Thursday afternoon to invite the twins on the pretext of his daughter’s birthday, Kumar recalled.
“Batham convinced us that he will give sweets and money to our daughters if they visited his place to attend the birthday party. We sent our daughters to his house,” Kumar said.
The twins’ father said when his daughters didn’t come back home even after 5pm, he went to Batham’s house.
But Batham refused to send them home and locked the door, saying the children won’t go back, Kumar said.
“Initially, we tried to pacify him but he was not ready to listen. After some time, he opened fire at us. We then informed the police,” he added.
The two sisters said all the children held captive were asked to sit quietly in the basement or else he (Batham) will shoot them all.
“Uncle also told us that if we do not keep quiet, he will detonate a bomb,” the sisters said.
Akash Katheria, a 12-year-old boy who was among the hostages, said Batham’s wife Ruby was helping him and shouting at the children whenever they cried out in fear.
The boy’s seven-year-old sister, Lakshmi , said they had no choice but to keep quiet as Batham was firing from inside the house.
However, the children also said he gave them chocolates and biscuits. The children were rescued late Thursday night.