Lucknow: It’s been a shocking day for the whole city when a murder-suicide case took place in the Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow, wherein a husband shot his estranged wife in front of her workplace and murdered his sister at home and himself died within two hours.
Police have got information about the incident, which happened on Thursday, August 20 and involves employees of two banks. Police are using all possible evidences, including CCTV footage, to find out the truth behind the sequence of this incident.
Gomti Nagar murder sequence
Police has disclosed the details of what had happened during noon of Thursday.
12:05 PM: Woman came to the office
A relationship manager at ICICI Bank in Gomti Nagar named Divya Mishra was spotted to come to her workplace in a car with one of her colleagues at around 12:05 pm.
According to the police, Manas Bajpayee, who works as an assistant manager at State Bank of India’s regional office, was waiting for his wife in an auto-rickshaw.
12:05 PM – 12:20 PM: Shooting Incident outside the Bank
It has been reported that Manas Bajpayee attacked his wife and shot her outside his wife’s office in a car. Colleagues of Divya, who work at ICICI Bank, have confirmed that the culprit was her husband. He left the spot after killing his wife in his car.
Shooting of Divya had taken place outside her office during the daytime, which later became a center of police investigation and CCTV footage analysis.
12:30 PM: Husband reached home
Then, Manas left the spot from where he shot his wife, reached his home, which was located in Husadiya in around two kilometers from his bank office.
According to the workers of a restaurant, which was situated in the premises, Manas Bajpayee seemed worried after reaching home. Manas told them that he was facing “office issues”. Manas went inside the house and closed the door.
Workers of the restaurant informed that Hanuman Chalisa was played loudly in his house.
‘Betrayal’ WhatsApp Status
It is claimed that on his return home, Bajpayee uploaded his WhatsApp status.
Bajpayee reportedly said that he had shot his wife as she had “betrayed” him and that he would commit suicide as well as shoot his sister too.
The message reportedly mentioned the name of Divya’s sister, journalist and YouTuber Pragya Mishra and her husband Bharat Yadav, who Bajpayee said he knew about the “betrayal.”
However, police have cautioned that the WhatsApp status is being verified.
1:26 PM: Divya’s Sister Raises an Alarm
Around 1:26 pm, Pragya Mishra shared information on her social media that her sister had been shot.
The alert raised on the social media enlightened the police regarding the alleged shooting.
1:30 PM: Second Shooting Is Reported
At 1:30 pm, police received another call about a shooting incident at Bajpayee’s house address in Husadiya.
When police reached the crime scene, it was found that Bajpayee had allegedly shot his sister and turned the gun towards himself.
1:40 PM: Police Reaches Husadiya House
Police team arrived at the second crime scene around 1:40 pm.
According to the police report, the neighbours and the workers from a nearby restaurant had heard everything and informed the investigators about the happenings at Bajpayee’s place.
The evidence collected from both crime scenes as well as the bank, where the first shooting had taken place.
1:45 PM: Three Unlicensed Firearms Are Confiscated
Three unlicensed firearms were seized by the police, according to the reports.
Forensic investigation team was called upon to the crime scene. CCTV footage was examined to form a sequence of events. Moreover, the bodies were sent for postmortem.
Under What Circumstances Did the Tragedy Happen?
According to the police, the couple had been married for almost a decade and separated in November 2025.
The reports say that the argument between the two got worse after they separated. Moreover, Divya had filed a case in the family court for divorce as well as claiming compensation and return of the dowry.
Both of them continued communicating with each other, despite them being no longer together.
Pragya Mishra, who is the sister of Divya, has also stated that her sister had observed a Teej fast for Bajpayee recently, calling it shocking.
The Investigation of the Motive by the Police
It has been noted in police reports that the initial motive for the shootings could have been a family or marital dispute. However, the motive and circumstances of the shootings remain to be investigated by the police at this moment.
The WhatsApp status of the suspected shooter, CCTV footage, the forensics and statements of relatives and witnesses could help the police understand the events which took place during the short interval of the shootings.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the content of the WhatsApp status has to be verified.
A Tragedy Unfolding in Under Two Hours
Even more disturbing is the fact that the sequence of the events is quite clear.
From Divya coming to her workplace a few minutes after lunchtime, the shootings of Bajpayee at his own house, the arrival of the police to his house within less than two hours time period, the events developed from a shooting at the workplace to a family tragedy.
This case has shed some light on the circumstances of disputes between the couple, alleged planning of the events and availability of the weapons.
Police are currently investigating this case and analyzing all the evidence which was collected at the two crime scenes.
Lucknow Murder Case: Important Points
- Victim: Divya Mishra, a bank employee
- Place of the first shooting: Gomti Nagar, Lucknow
- First incident reported: Outside her workplace
- Suspected murderer: Husband of Divya, Manas Bajpayee, as per police
- Second victim: Sister of Bajpayee
- WhatsApp status: Allegedly talks about betrayal
- Weapons found: Three weapons not licensed by the law, as per police
- Investigation: CCTV, forensic and witness statements are analyzed
- Line of inquiry: Family/marital dispute
Conclusion
It appears that the murder and suicide case in Lucknow city has become one of the most shocking crime cases in the recent past. Shooting of the person in ICICI Bank branch led to the shooting of him in his house which later resulted in his committing suicide.
Betrayal on the status on WhatsApp and separation of the couple became the key points in the investigation of the case. However, the police continue investigating the digital evidence and reenactment of the tragic events.
During the examination of CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and witness testimonies, it is possible to expect that some new details will become known.
