A savage double murder rocked Shivpur Chakdaha village late Saturday night, claiming the lives of Poonam Nishad, 40, and her 10-year-old daughter Anushka in their own home.

The brutal attack, allegedly carried out by fellow villagers, has left this Uttar Pradesh town reeling—and its lone survivor, 18-year-old Khushbu, haunted by the voices of the killers she narrowly escaped.

Khushbu, Poonam’s elder daughter, was asleep in a separate room when the assailants struck. She locked herself inside as the carnage unfolded, later identifying the attackers’ voices—naming Sanjay, his father, and others from their village.

Police say the group wielded sharp-edged weapons, slashing Poonam to death on the spot while Anushka clung to life, only to succumb during treatment. Khushbu told authorities Sanjay’s father ordered her death too, but her quick claim of calling the police sent the killers fleeing. Emerging from hiding, she found her mother and sister drowning in blood.

SP (North) Jitendra Srivastava said forensic teams are combing the scene, with suspects detained and call records and CCTV under scrutiny. “We’re piecing together the exact timeline,” he assured, as the victims’ bodies undergo post-mortem examination. The motive remains murky, but the ferocity of the assault hints at deep-seated village tensions.

The slaughter sparked outrage from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who blasted the BJP government on X: “This murder in Gorakhpur, UP’s main assembly constituency, proves criminals under BJP rule are fearless, striking bigger and bolder. Who’s checking on Gorakhpur’s state?” As police hunt the culprits, a grieving Khushbu and a shaken village demand answers—and justice.