Woman banker filed for divorce, sought compensation and return of dowry: Police
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A bank employee in Lucknow killed his wife and sister before taking his own life following a domestic dispute. The perpetrator posted a confession on WhatsApp, citing marital infidelity as his motive. Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
A Tragic Double Murder-Suicide in Lucknow
On Thursday, August 20, 2026, a harrowing incident unfolded in the Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. Manas Bajpai, a 38-year-old employee of the State Bank of India, allegedly orchestrated a double murder-suicide that began outside an ICICI Bank branch and concluded at his private residence. The victims, his wife Divya Mishra (37), who worked as a relationship manager at the bank, and his younger sister, were both killed before the perpetrator turned the weapon on himself.
The Sequence of Events
The violence reportedly commenced around 12:15 pm outside the ICICI Bank branch. According to police reports, Divya Mishra was in her car when she was called out by her husband, Manas, who had been waiting in an autorickshaw. Following the initial shooting, the perpetrator fled the scene, later arriving at his rented home where he took the lives of his sister and himself. The swift transition from a public workplace shooting to a private act of violence underscores the sudden and volatile nature of the event.
Digital Footprints and Motives
Central to the police investigation is a chilling WhatsApp status posted by Bajpai shortly after the first shooting. The message explicitly stated his intent and alleged that his wife had been unfaithful. By publicly declaring, "Today I killed my wife as she cheated on me… now I have to kill myself and my sister," the perpetrator left a digital trail that serves as the primary basis for the current investigation into the motive behind the tragedy. Authorities are now scrutinizing this statement as part of the broader inquiry into the couple's marital discord.
Marital Discord and Societal Implications
While the investigation is ongoing, the incident highlights the devastating consequences of unresolved domestic disputes. The mention of "marital discord" by law enforcement provides a tragic context to a situation that escalated from private friction to lethal violence. The involvement of the perpetrator's sister, who was not a party to the primary dispute, adds a layer of inexplicable cruelty to the event, suggesting a complete breakdown of rational judgment in the final moments of the perpetrator's life.
The Role of Law Enforcement
ADCP (East) Amol Murkut and the local police force have been tasked with piecing together the timeline and verifying the claims made in the perpetrator's final social media communication. By interviewing co-workers at the ICICI Bank branch—where Divya Mishra had been employed for three to four years—and examining the domestic environment, police aim to understand the extent of the marital issues that allegedly led to this outcome. The investigation remains active as authorities work to close the case files on this devastating loss of life.
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