Shot wife at work, put ‘betrayal’ WhatsApp status: How Lucknow murders unfolded in 2 hours | Timeline

The killing of 37-year-old bank employee Divya Mishra by her husband outside her workplace in Lucknow, followed by him allegedly shooting his own sister dead at home before dying by suicide, unfolded in a span of just around two hours.

While the husband, Manas Bajpayee, worked as an assistant manager at a regional business office of the State Bank of India, Divya was a relationship manager at ICICI Bank’s Gomti Nagar branch.

The couple had been living separately but reportedly remained in contact. Divya’s sister, journalist and YouTuber Pragya Mishra, said her sister had recently observed a Teej fast for Bajpayee, making the violence that followed particularly “unexpected”.

Was lurking outside wife's workplace

Bajpayee was waiting nearby in an auto-rickshaw when his 33-year-old woman arrived at the bank around 12.05pm in her car with a colleague, police said, narrating the dramatic sequence of events.

He allegedly asked Divya to step out of the car and assaulted her before shooting her. He then fled the spot in his car, police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Deeksha Sharma, who reached the bank after the shooting, said Divya had been working at the branch for three to four years.

“The woman’s co-workers at the bank identified the attacker as her husband,” the DCP said.

Timeline of the murders

12.05pm: Divya Mishra reaches the ICICI Bank branch in Gomti Nagar in her car, accompanied by a colleague.

Between 12.05pm and 12.20pm: Bajpayee, who was waiting nearby in an auto-rickshaw, allegedly asks Divya to step out of the car, assaults her and shoots her. He then flees in his car.

12.30pm: Bajpayee reaches his home in Husadiya, around 2 km from the bank. He allegedly uploads a WhatsApp status referring to his wife’s “betrayal”.

1.26pm: Journalist and YouTuber Pragya Mishra posts on X that she has received information about an attack on her sister.

1.30pm: Police receive another call about a shooting at Bajpayee’s residence in Husadiya.

1.40pm: Police reach the second crime scene. Neighbours and restaurant workers tell them Bajpayee had returned home earlier and played the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in full volume.

1.45pm: Police identify the man who died by suicide as Manas Bajpayee and recover three unlicensed weapons, according to the account provided by police.

‘Betrayal’ claim in WhatsApp status

Police said Bajpayee also put up a WhatsApp status after reaching home. In the message, he allegedly confessed to killing his wife and accused her of “betrayal”.

He also purportedly said that he planned to kill himself and his sister, and claimed that Pragya Mishra and her husband, Bharat Yadav, were aware of his wife’s alleged “betrayal”.

Police added that the WhatsApp message is still being verified.

Investigators later traced Bajpayee to his Husadiya residence. He allegedly shot his sister there before shooting himself.

Police said Bajpayee and Divya had been living separately since November 2025. Divya had filed for divorce in a family court, seeking compensation as well as the return of dowry given during their marriage.