A horrifying incident of murder and suicide sent shockwaves through the Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow on Thursday. At around 12:15 PM, a female banking professional was shot dead in broad daylight right outside her workplace. The victim was identified as 37-year-old Divya Mishra, who had been working as a Relationship Manager at the ICICI Bank branch in Gomti Nagar for the past three to four years. Police investigation revealed that the assailant was her estranged husband, Manas Bajpai, who was employed as an officer at a public sector bank. After gunning down his wife, the accused returned home, killed his sister, and subsequently ended his own life.
Premeditated Attack Outside Bank Branch
Eyewitness accounts and police reports indicate that the murder was meticulously planned. Shortly before the incident, Divya Mishra had returned to the bank branch in her car after completing a meeting with a client alongside her colleagues. Manas Bajpai arrived at the scene riding inside an auto-rickshaw that lacked a license plate. He had been lying in wait for her arrival. Armed with two pistols, one in each hand, Manas called Divya out of her vehicle. Following a brief confrontation, he pulled out his weapons and opened fire on her at close range.
CCTV Captures Horrific Attack Sequence
Security camera footage from the location captured the terrifying sequence of events. The video shows an argument taking place between Manas and Divya outside the bank premises. Spotting the altercation, several bank employees initially rushed outside to assist their colleague. However, as Manas drew his firearms and pointed one toward the coworkers, the panicked employees were forced to retreat back inside the building. After shooting Divya, Manas fled the scene in the same unnumbered auto-rickshaw. Divya was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, where attending doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.
Chilling Social Media Confession Before Double Suicide
Following the shooting outside the bank, Manas Bajpai returned to his residence located near Husadiya Chauraha. Upon arriving home, he posted a chilling message as his WhatsApp status. In the text, he claimed that his wife had cheated on him, driving him to kill her. He further declared in the status that he was about to murder his sister and commit suicide next. True to his social media post, he shot his sister dead inside the house before turning the gun on himself.
Crime Scene Uncovered By Neighbors
Ankur, a neighbor living near the suspect's residence, shared details of the tragic scene inside the house. According to the neighbor, Manas was generally known as a friendly individual. He had been married to Divya for around 10 years, but the couple had been living separately for the last one and a half years due to ongoing marital discord. Upon reading the alarming WhatsApp status, worried neighbors rushed to the house and broke down the locked front door. Inside, they discovered the bodies of the brother and sister lying on a bed. A pistol was resting on Manas's chest, while a television inside the room was playing religious chants at an unusually high volume.
Prior Fears Unreported To Authorities
Investigations further revealed that Divya had expressed concerns about her safety shortly before the fatal attack. Sources indicated that a few days prior to the tragedy, Divya had confided in her colleagues that Manas had stalked her and attempted to corner her on the road. She expressed fears that he might cause her physical harm. However, no official complaint had been lodged with the police regarding these stalking incidents. Law enforcement authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of the case.
