LUCKNOW: Three members of a crorepati family — an elderly couple and their unmarried daughter — were found dead under mysterious circumstances on the second floor of their two-storey house in the South Malaka area under Kotwali police station limits on late Tuesday night.
The body of an unidentified man, estimated to be around 38 years old, was also found inside one of the shops on the ground floor of the same building.
However, the Prayagraj police solved the murder of four members of the same family, revealing that the family's son allegedly killed his parents and sister with the help of a friend before being murdered himself in a dispute over stolen jewellery.
Initially, the police had not established his identity. However, some locals claimed the deceased was the couple’s elder son, Abhishek, who had been missing for the past four days.
They also said his mobile phone remained switched off during this period.
According to investigators, Abhishek and his accomplice looted jewellery worth approximately Rs 1.5 crore from the house after carrying out the killings.
However, the two later fell out over the division of the valuables, following which the friend allegedly killed the son as well. The suspect then locked the shop from the outside and fled with the jewellery.
He has since been taken into custody and is being questioned.
The victims were identified as businessman Virendra Kumar Vaishya (70), his wife Anita (65), daughter Meenakshi (45), and son Abhishek (40). Their blood-soaked bodies were discovered on Tuesday night. All four were bludgeoned to death.
The bodies of Virendra Vaishya and his wife Anita were found in one room, while Vaishya’s daughter Meenakshi's body was recovered from another room.
Abhishek's body was found on the ground floor. Investigators also recovered a cardboard sheet lying near the couple's bodies with a message written in red ink that read: "Bunty, Babli and daughter-in-law killed them." Police believe the note was deliberately planted to mislead investigators.
Virendra Kumar Vaishya ran a gift business and owned a two-storey property at Hewett Road Junction in the South Malaka area. The building, spread across nearly 8,000 square feet and estimated to be worth between Rs10 crore and Rs15 crore, housed 14 commercial units on the ground floor, 13 of which were rented out. The family lived on the upper floor.
One of the shops was operated by Meenakshi, who sold gift items, while her father also spent time there. Abhishek ran a business dealing in pesticides and floor-cleaning solutions. Neither Abhishek nor Meenakshi was married.
Police investigations revealed that relations between Abhishek and his father had been strained for some time.
According to neighbours and relatives, both used to pick up fights, disputes frequently arose over Abhishek's social circle and lifestyle. In one earlier incident, Abhishek reportedly borrowed several lakh rupees from an individual and failed to repay the amount in time.
The lenders allegedly assaulted him and briefly abducted him, threatening to kill the entire family if the money was not returned. Meenakshi later arranged the funds and secured his release.
The episode led to a serious dispute within the family, and relatives claim Virendra was considering removing Abhishek from his property rights, a move that allegedly fuelled his resentment.
Police sources said Abhishek and his friend had planned the murders in advance. The two allegedly first killed Virendra Vaishya, followed by Anita and then Meenakshi. After looting the jewellery, they covered the bodies with quilts and blankets in an apparent attempt to delay the discovery of the crime and prevent the smell from spreading.
Investigators also found evidence that efforts had been made to clean bloodstains from the floor.
Water and floor-cleaning liquid were reportedly used, and oil was later poured onto the surface in an attempt to erase all traces of blood. After the murders, the two men reportedly went to Abhishek's shop. There, an argument broke out over the division of the stolen jewellery.
During the dispute, the friend allegedly killed Abhishek as well. The crime came to light on Tuesday when neighbours noticed a strong foul smell coming from the house.
Police, on being informed, found on arrival on the site that the passage from the ground floor to the upper floor was accessible, but the entrance to the family's living quarters had been locked from the outside.
Police broke the lock and entered the property. Inside, they found the bodies of Virendra Kumar Vaishya and his wife in one room, while Meenakshi's body was discovered in another.
A forensic team and dog squad were subsequently called to the scene. During a search of the premises, investigators reached the row of shops on the ground floor.
One shop was found locked from the outside. When officers forced it open, they discovered another body inside, later identified as Abhishek. The body had already begun to decompose significantly.
The deceased couple's younger son, Ashwini, had married Ritu, a resident of Kydganj, after meeting her online. According to police records, the pair allegedly created fake profiles on matrimonial websites to target and defraud people.
In one case, Ashwini allegedly posed as the son of a judge from Hyderabad and cheated a woman out of Rs 9 lakh. Both were arrested and sent to prison in 2023. Ritu was granted bail in 2024 and is currently out of custody, while Ashwini remains lodged in Kaushambi Jail.
Neighbours said Virendra had become deeply upset with Ashwini's activities and had formally disowned him, severing all ties and removing him from any claim to the family property.
DCP (City) Maneesh Shandilya said that the bodies of Virendra Kumar (70), his wife Anita (65) and their daughter Meenakshi (40) were found in a room with injury marks, suggesting it to be a case of murder.
Police said a cardboard sheet was found in the room where the couple’s bodies were discovered. A message written on it read: “Bunty, Babli and the daughter-in-law killed us.” Residents alerted the police after a foul smell was noticed emanating from the locked house. Locals said the deceased couple owned and rented out 12 shops located on the ground floor of the building.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ajay Pal Sharma said a detailed investigation was underway. He said the exact cause of death would be determined only after the postmortem examination.