LUCKNOW: A bank official allegedly shot his wife and sister dead before dying by suicide in Lucknow on Thursday, after putting up a WhatsApp status stating that he had killed them and intended to kill himself.
As per police sources, Manas Vajpayee, 38, an SBI bank field manager, allegedly went to his wife Divya Mishra’s office, called her out of the office, spoke to her briefly and shot her around noon. He then fled the scene. Divya, 33, was an employee of ICICI Bank and was posted at its Gomti Nagar branch.
Divya was rushed to hospital by her colleagues but was declared dead on arrival by doctors, said the police.
After allegedly killing his wife, Manas returned home and shot his sister Shiva Vajpayee, 28, dead before dying by suicide.
Local sources said that both of Manas Vajpayee’s parents had already passed away and that there was now no one left in the family.
As per sources close to the assailant and the victim, Divya and Manas had married 12 years ago, but they had no children and had been living separately for over a year. According to information, Divya had filed for divorce last year.
Dr Diksha Sharma, DCP-East, said, “The police had received information of a woman being shot at in Gomti Nagar Police Station area. On reaching the spot, the police were told that the woman's husband shot her. Soon after, the police received information about a man who had killed his sister and committed suicide by shooting himself. It was verified that he was the same man, Manav Vajpayee, who had also killed his wife and sister, and then committed suicide. A WhatsApp status on his phone defines the incident. Three weapons were recovered from the house of the man."
The police authorities said that Shiva Vajpayee, Manas Vajpayee’s sister who was shot dead by him, was having some serious mental health issues.
In another shocking layer to the case, Manas, before dying by suicide, had put up a WhatsApp status announcing that he had killed his wife and sister.
"Today I killed my wife who cheated on me. Now I have to kill myself and my sister, her sister Pragya and everything," read the WhatsApp status.
A shop owner near Manas Vajpayee's house said that he returned home at around 12.30 pm. "Manas was in a hurry and sweating profusely. He went inside the house and played Hanuman Chalisa," he said.
Later, when the neighbour saw his WhatsApp status, he went inside the house and found Manas dead.
Soon after the shooting, Divya's sister Pragya Mishra, a YouTuber, posted on social media regarding the murder. "I just got a call that my sister has been shot. She has been taken to Lohia hospital. Please pray," she posted, tagging the UP Police.
In his WhatsApp status, Manas had also mentioned Pragya.
