Lucknow murder: Son avenges mother’s insult after 10 years of waiting, party photos seal killers' fate

Lucknow murder

In a chilling tale of revenge spanning a decade, a man and his four accomplices allegedly murdered a coconut water seller over an old grudge involving the victim’s assault on the accused’s mother. The police cracked the case, which was initially a blind probe, after stumbling upon photos from a celebratory liquor party that led them straight to the suspects.

The main accused, Sonu Kashyap, had reportedly harboured a simmering grudge against Manoj, the victim, ever since Manoj allegedly assaulted Sonu’s mother ten years ago and fled the area. According to a report by NDTV, Sonu never gave up on seeking vengeance, wandering the streets of Lucknow for years in search of Manoj.

His moment came about three months ago, when he spotted Manoj in the Munshi Pulia area. From that point, Sonu began meticulous planning. He monitored Manoj’s daily movements and devised a plot to eliminate him. Lacking resources, Sonu recruited four friends - Ranjeet, Adil, Salamu and Rehmat Ali - promising them a party once the deed was done.

The group struck on May 22, as Manoj shut his shop for the day. They allegedly attacked him with iron rods, leaving him grievously injured. Manoj later died during treatment, NDTV reported.

The case posed a significant challenge for the police. Though CCTV footage captured the assailants, there were no leads on their identities or whereabouts.

But an unexpected clue emerged. Shortly after the murder, the accused reportedly held a liquor party to celebrate. Photos from the gathering surfaced on social media. In one of them, one suspect was seen wearing the same orange T-shirt he had on during the attack, linking the social post to the CCTV footage.

NDTV reported that this critical visual cue led police to the suspects' social media profiles. From there, investigators managed to track down and arrest all five men.