04 June 2025 :

A special SC/ST court in Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) has sentenced two men in their 30s to death for murdering two minor sisters in their sleep and attempting to kill their parents over a property dispute, Times of India reported on May 30, 2025.
Judge Ram Pratap Singh examined 12 prosecution witnesses during the trial and termed the case as one of the "rarest of rare" while delivering the death sentence.
The convicts, who appeared before the court via video conferencing, have been sent to jail following May 28 verdict, additional district govt counsel Dinesh Yadav said.
The defence has indicated plans to appeal the judgment.
Police said Vikas Singh, a truck driver from Fatehpur and a relative of the victims, along with his accomplice Lalu Pal, had dinner with the family at their home in Ashirvad Dham Colony on the night of Jan 23 this year. 
Around 1:30am, while the family was asleep, the duo slit the throats of six-year-old Vidhi, a Class 2 student, and her 12-year-old sister Srishti, a Class 7 student, using a sharp weapon.
An officer said, "Their parents — Chhote Lal, a 40-year-old lecturer at Jawahar Smarak Inter College, and his 35-year-old wife Virangana — sustained serious injuries while trying to save them. Neighbours, alerted by the family's screams, rushed to the scene but the culprits managed to escape before assistance arrived."
Investigations revealed that the attack was orchestrated by Lal's nephew, Sone, who resides in Dubai. He allegedly gave the accused Rs 2 lakh to eliminate the family and take over their property, of which Rs 20,000 was paid in advance.
Hathras SSP Chiranjeev Nath Sinha said, "A forensic team and dog squad were deployed, and the duo was arrested within hours of the crime. A chargesheet was filed under BNS section 103 (murder), along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. We built a strong case based on evidence and witness testimony to ensure the culprits received the maximum punishment.