Father Wanted Him to Be a Doctor; Son Had Other Dreams — Lucknow’s ‘Blue Drum’ Murder Shocks City

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: A gruesome case of patricide has sent shockwaves across the state capital after a 21-year-old man allegedly shot dead his father and dismembered the body, concealing parts of it in a blue drum inside their home.

The accused, Akshat Pratap Singh, is alleged to have murdered his 49-year-old father, Manvendra Singh, a pathologist who ran a diagnostic laboratory in the Ashiyana area of Lucknow. According to police, the crime stemmed from ongoing tensions between father and son over career choices.

Clash Over Career Ambitions

Manvendra Singh reportedly wanted his son to become a doctor and eventually take over the family’s pathology business. He had been urging Akshat to prepare for the NEET examination and had even transferred ₹5 lakh to his son’s bank account to support his preparation.

However, Akshat aspired to pursue business ventures instead. Neighbors said disagreements over the issue had been frequent. A few days before the incident, Akshat allegedly locked his father inside the house and fled, informing a friend that he was leaving home.

Before that episode, Akshat had left behind a six-page letter addressed to his father, stating that running a pathology lab would never make someone “a big man.” He wrote that he would return home only after achieving significant success.

Murder in Front of Sister

According to DCP Central Vikrant Veer, on the morning of February 20, an argument broke out between father and son. The sound of their altercation woke Akshat’s sister, Kriti, who rushed to the room. Moments later, a gunshot was heard. Police say Akshat used his father’s licensed rifle to shoot him.

Kriti reportedly witnessed the murder and was threatened by her brother with dire consequences if she disclosed the crime. He allegedly confined her to prevent suspicion.

Dismemberment and Disposal

Police investigations reveal that after the killing, Akshat moved the body to a downstairs room and dismembered it. Some body parts were packed into a car and disposed of in the Sadarena area, while other remains were placed in a blue drum inside the house. He was allegedly planning to dispose of the remaining parts later.

When neighbors inquired about Manvendra Singh’s absence, Akshat reportedly told them that his father had gone to Delhi.

Family Devastated

The victim’s father, Surendra Pal Singh Rajawat, expressed deep anguish, saying, “The support of my old age is gone. My son is dead, and my grandson’s life is now destroyed. Everything is ruined.”

Akshat, a B.Com student at TS Mishra College, is currently in police custody. Authorities continue to investigate the sequence of events and gather forensic evidence.

The chilling crime has reignited conversations about parental pressure, youth aspirations, and the psychological toll of unresolved family conflicts — a tragedy that has left Lucknow stunned.