By HASAN HADI
DEHRADUN, 9 Jan: No one could have imagined that the morning of November 15, 1994 would mark one of Dehradun’s most horrific tragedies. The people of Vasant Vihar still remember the terrible morning of that day, when a brutal triple murder shocked the entire neighbourhood.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered release of a man convicted of killing a retired brigadier, his son and sister by beheading them in Dehradun district in 1994, finding that he was a juvenile aged 14 years at the time of incident.
This reporter visited Vasant Vihar after the SC recent verdict and spoke to some people in the neighbourhood. An elderly resident, Tejpal (name changed), shared his thoughts, saying, “It was a brutal and planned murder. Brigadier Sahab was a kind man who treated the servant well, providing him with all facilities. But things changed after his son returned home. Another resident, Virat (name changed), expressed doubts about the accused’s age. “The court has given its verdict, and that’s fine. But in my opinion, he wasn’t a juvenile. How could a 14 year old kill three people like that? Such a crime shouldn’t have happened,” he said.
The house where the murders occurred was not sealed for years and now been rebuilt. A neighbourhood person who vaguely remembers that day recalled, “As usual, Brigadier Sahab went for his morning walk. During that time, the servant killed his son and sister-in-law while they were sleeping. When Brigadier Sahab returned, the servant attacked him with chili powder and stabbed him multiple times. His wife survived because she managed to lock herself in the bathroom.” Residents unanimously agree that the crime was shocking and that the accused deserved the punishment he received.
