In a shocking incident from Lucknow, a temple priest has been arrested for the alleged murder of a 74-year-old woman after she discovered him stealing from her house. The Lucknow Police, acting on CCTV evidence, took the priest and two domestic workers into custody for the crime that has sent ripples through the community.
The Gruesome Crime and Arrests
The Lucknow Police on Friday arrested Jatindra Mishra (50), a priest from Mahona village under the Itaunja police station area. He is accused of strangling Neelima Srivastava in her Yashodapuram, Sector-I residence. The police also apprehended two other individuals: Deepak (32), originally from Hardoi, and Sushil Kumar (38), a resident of Sitapur. Both worked as domestic helpers at House No. 218, Sector-I, the same address where the victim lived.
The body of Neelima Srivastava was discovered on December 3. The scene indicated a struggle, with injury marks on her neck, open cupboards, and belongings scattered across the house. Several pieces of jewellery were reported missing. From the possession of the accused, police recovered stolen items including two yellow-metal bangles, artificial jewellery, two ladies' handbags, two jewellery pouches, and some clothes.
A Premeditated Act Driven by Greed
According to the police investigation, the crime was meticulously planned. Jatindra Mishra worked as a priest at the residence of a PCS officer located opposite the victim's house. During interrogation, it was revealed that Mishra, along with accomplices Deepak and Sushil—who all earned a monthly salary of Rs 8,000—were facing financial difficulties. Deepak and Sushil had informed Mishra that Neelima, who lived alone, possessed nearly 250 grams of gold.
Driven by greed, Mishra entered Neelima's house on December 2 around 2 pm, sneaking in when she stepped outside. He then hid under a cot for nearly 12 hours. Late at night, after she fell asleep, he began searching her cupboard and trunk. The noise woke Neelima up, and she recognized the priest. In a state of panic, Mishra strangled the elderly woman. He then ransacked the house but could not find the rumoured gold, eventually fleeing around 2:30 am with whatever valuables he could grab.
Betrayal of Trust and Tragic Backstory
ACP Aliganj, Areeb Ahmad, told TOI that the accused were tracked through crucial CCTV footage. He disclosed that Mishra often addressed Neelima affectionately as "dadi" (grandmother) to gain her trust and was well aware of her daily routine, having planned the burglary for several days.
The tragedy is compounded by the victim's personal history. Her sister, Poonam, shared that Neelima's husband passed away nearly 25 years ago and her son also died in 2018 due to illness, leaving her to live a solitary life. The brutal murder of the elderly woman, betrayed by someone she trusted, has highlighted concerns about the safety of senior citizens living alone.
The Lucknow Police's swift action in solving the case underscores the importance of surveillance technology in modern crime detection, bringing a measure of closure to a deeply distressing event.
