UP Man Bludgeons Wife to Death Over Rs 15,000 Dispute, 13-Year-Old Son Alarms Neighbours
A schoolteacher in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district was brutally murdered in her sleep, allegedly by her husband, after a bitter dispute over money spiralled into violence on Monday night.
The victim, 36-year-old Asha Bharti, taught at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya and was known in her community for her dedication to her students. Police said her husband, Ravi Pratap, who ran a small medical store, attacked her with a heavy grinding stone while she was sleeping at their home.
The assault was so savage that Asha died on the spot. Their 13-year-old son, woken by the commotion, tried to intervene but was chased away by his father. The boy managed to flee the house and alert neighbours, who rushed to help.
Locals took Asha to Gorakhpur Medical College Hospital, but doctors declared her dead on arrival. Police from Gola station arrived promptly, cordoning off the area and collecting forensic evidence from the scene.
“We have registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC, including murder. The accused, Ravi Pratap, is currently absconding, and a manhunt has been launched to apprehend him,” said Anjul Chaturvedi, in-charge of Gola police station.
Neighbours told investigators that the couple’s relationship had grown increasingly strained, largely due to Ravi’s persistent demands for money. According to preliminary findings, he had been pressuring Asha to hand over ₹15,000 each month for personal expenses. When Asha refused and instead offered ₹5,000, frequent arguments erupted between them, residents said.
Police revealed that the couple’s teenage son is now in the care of close relatives and will receive counselling support to help him cope with the traumatic incident.
News of Asha’s murder has sent shockwaves through the local community, leaving her colleagues and students at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya reeling in grief. Many remembered her as a devoted teacher who always put her students’ welfare first.
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