Property Dispute Emerges as Main Motive Behind Sanjauli School Director’s Murder
A property dispute between a brother and sister is emerging as the primary motive behind the murder of the director of Saraswati Paradise International School in Sanjauli, Shimla. Meenakshi Mittal, the 41-year-old administrator of Saraswati Paradise School, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Saturday evening. Police teams immediately arrived at the scene and inspected the site.
Background of the Dispute
In a video recently posted on her social media account, Meenakshi Mittal, a resident of Haryana’s Rewari, alleged that her brother had been threatening her over a long-standing property dispute. She claimed that her life was in danger and that her brother had repeatedly threatened to kill her. She had also raised the issue during a press conference in April. Mittal alleged that the school had been owned by her father and that, following his death, her brother was preventing her from claiming her share of the property.
Recent Developments
For the past few months, Meenakshi had been living on the school premises with her daughter. She had also lodged a complaint with the district police regarding the dispute. On Saturday evening, several assailants shot Mittal multiple times near the school’s gate, killing her on the spot. She was returning to the school after visiting a nearby shop when she was attacked.
Investigation Underway
A police team reached the scene shortly after the incident and launched an investigation. Acting on the directions of Gaurav Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Shimla, special teams were constituted to trace and apprehend the assailants. The crime scene was sealed, and police teams were deployed to collect evidence and question eyewitnesses. Investigators are also examining CCTV footage from the area for leads. A forensic team was called in to assist with the investigation. However, more than 12 hours after the incident, police had yet to identify or arrest any suspects.
