Lucknow: Just 10 metres separate the homes of the Tiwari and Shukla families in Saadatganj. For decades, the two households shared a close bond, with locals recalling how the Tiwaris once helped the less affluent Shuklas establish themselves. Today, that relationship has ended in a tragedy that has left the neighbourhood stunned.
Because the families were once closely connected, residents said the tragedy is particularly shocking.
Nobody imagined it would end like this,” said a neighbour. Neighbours said he and the accused, Rishabh Shukla, had grown up together and shared a childhood friendship. Locals said relations between the families had deteriorated in recent years amid repeated disputes and a growing struggle for local dominance.
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak and BJP member Neeraj Singh also attended the funeral and shouldered one of the biers. “They stood by each other for years. What began as neighbourhood tensions eventually spiralled into a violent confrontation, they added.
Three members of the Tiwari family were cremated on Tuesday amid tight security and scenes of grief, a day after a deadly shooting allegedly triggered by a parking dispute and escalating tensions over local influence.