LUCKNOW: A loud rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa was playing inside a Lucknow house when neighbours gathered outside following two gunshots, unaware that a bank employee had allegedly shot his sister before killing himself.The incident came hours after Manas Mishra, a field officer with the State Bank of India, allegedly shot his wife, Divya Mishra, outside an ICICI Bank branch in Gomti Nagar on Thursday.According to people working at a restaurant operating from the premises where Manas lived in Husaria, he returned home shortly after the shooting.
‘He appeared stressed’
Luvkush, who runs the restaurant, told PTI that he saw Manas rushing into the residence and sweating profusely, news agency PTI reported.“I even asked him, ‘bhaiya, what’s the matter? You appear stressed.’ But he told me that it was nothing, just some office issues. Then he went inside,” he said.Restaurant workers said Manas then locked the door from inside.Soon after, they heard the Hanuman Chalisa playing at a high volume on the television.The religious recitation continued to play loudly even after the incident, with people later finding it still running when the door was opened, the workers said.Police later found Manas’s sister, Sheeba Bajpai, injured inside the house. Manas had also allegedly shot himself.Neighbours who heard the gunshots reached the house and broke open the door.
Three pistols recovered
Lucknow police commissioner Tarun Gauba reached the spot and took stock of the investigation.Police recovered three pistols from the scene, the commissioner said.Forensic teams examined the house and other locations linked to the shootings. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.A preliminary investigation indicated that a family dispute may have led to the killings, though police said the exact sequence of events was still being established.
WhatsApp status gave clues
Before his death, Manas had posted a WhatsApp status in which he allegedly said he intended to kill himself and his sister.He also accused his wife of betraying him and alleged that her sister Pragya and her husband Bharat Yadav knew about the matter.Police are examining the message as part of the investigation.Manas had allegedly returned home within minutes of shooting his wife outside the ICICI Bank branch.(With agency inputs)
