Baghpat: The wife and two young daughters of a Muslim cleric were found brutally murdered inside their home on the premises of a mosque in Baghpat district on Saturday, police said.
The victims were identified as Israna (30), wife of Ibrahim, the Imam of the main mosque at Gangnauli village, and their daughters Sofia (5) and Sumaiya (2). Police said the three were attacked with a sharp-edged weapon and found lying in pools of blood inside their residence within the mosque compound.
At the time of the incident, Imam Ibrahim was reportedly away in Deoband for work.
The murders came to light when children arrived at the mosque for their daily lessons and discovered the bodies, immediately raising an alarm.
Superintendent of Police Suraj Kumar Rai, Additional SP Praveen Kumar Chauhan and Circle Officer Vijay Kumar rushed to the spot and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination.
As the bodies were being removed, villagers staged a brief protest demanding swift justice. The situation was brought under control after senior police officers assured strict action.
Given the sensitivity of the case, Deputy Inspector General (Meerut Range) Kalanidhi Naithani visited the crime scene and ordered a thorough investigation.
“We are probing all possible angles – whether it is a case of family dispute, robbery or enmity. Five dedicated teams have been formed. The culprits will be arrested soon,” Naithani said.
Police said Imam Ibrahim, originally from Sunna village in Muzaffarnagar district, has been serving at Gangnauli’s Badi Masjid for the past four years, while his wife Israna taught children within the mosque premises.