UP horror: 2 minors kill teacher’s pregnant wife, 2 daughters after being punished in Baghpat

Following the murder of the cleric's wife and her two minor daughters in UP's Baghpat, locals confront police trying to take custody of the bodies at the crime spot.

Two minors, allegedly angry over ‘corporal punishment’ by their teacher, hacked to death his (teacher) wife and two daughters in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district on Saturday.

Maulana Ibrahim’s wife, Israna (30), and daughters Sofia (5) and Sumayya (2) were found dead at a local mosque-residence in Baghpat’s Gangnoli village. The Maulana, who teaches at the mosque, received the news while in Deoband, attending an official visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. By the time he returned, the room above the mosque, where his family lived, had been sealed by police and forensic teams.

“Meri zindagi khatam ho gayi… sab chale gaye (I have lost my whole family… my life is over),” Ibrahim said, visibly shaken, as he sat on the mosque floor after leading prayers on Sunday evening. The bodies of his wife and daughters were discovered with traces of blood still on the floor.

Students carry out attack after being disciplined

According to the police, the crime was committed by two of Ibrahim’s students, aged 13 and 14. On Saturday morning, the Maulana had disciplined the boys for neglecting their lessons. Hours later, the minors returned to the mosque-residence and carried out the attack using a hammer and knife.

The boys entered the room while the Maulana’s pregnant wife and daughters were asleep. After the killings, they allegedly tried to blend with the crowd outside, pretending to mourn.

Authorities confirmed the case was quickly solved using CCTV footage and fingerprint evidence. “Both suspects have confessed. They admitted that the Maulana often disciplined them, and they attacked his family around 1 pm. A formal case is being registered, and further investigation is underway,” The Indian Express quoted SP Suraj Rai as saying.

Ibrahim and his wife taught around 250 children, many from economically weaker backgrounds, some of whom attended only religious classes. Villagers expressed concern about changes in youth behaviour and discipline. “Earlier, teachers could discipline students, and parents accepted it. Now, children have anger but lack understanding,” a resident said.

“This tragedy reflects the directionless state of education and guidance in our community,” another resident was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

The families of the accused minors were also grieving. One mother said her son had been enrolled in the madrasa for two years but had stopped attending school as advised by the Maulana. “He lost both worldly knowledge and religious guidance,” she said.

Recalling his last conversation with his wife, Ibrahim shared, “She had called to ask me to buy headscarves for her and the girls.” On his phone, he replayed the last voice notes from his daughters — giggling, asking him to bring toy guns. “One of the boys had shown them this toy run…one of the two boys who killed them,” he said, his hands shaking.

Maulana Ibrahim also thanked authorities for their swift action. “Thanks to the administration and Yogi Adityanath ji, the culprits were caught within four hours,” he said.