On Monday, police arrested Saurabh Kumar, his father Shiv Kumar, and his mother Sunita in connection with the murder of SN Mishra, a senior engineer of the Military Engineering Services (MES), who was shot dead at his residence in the North Camp of Central Air Command (CAC), Bamrauli, on March 28.
According to DCP (City) Abhishek Bharti, Saurabh Kumar (22) is the prime suspect in the shooting, which took place during an attempted theft at Mishra’s house. His parents, Shiv Kumar (48) and Sunita (40), were involved in the conspiracy, conducting a recce of the victim’s house prior to the crime.
Saurabh, who had allegedly purchased a .32 bore pistol and cartridges for Rs 40,000, entered the premises with the intent to rob the house. When Mishra’s family woke up during the robbery, Saurabh retreated to the back of the house and shot Mishra dead from the window, fearing the engineer could alert others.
The motive for the theft was tied to Saurabh’s brother, Gautam Kumar, who is currently in jail for a murder case in Kaushambi district. The family needed money to fund his legal defense, prompting them to plan the robbery.
Police seized several weapons from the accused, including the .32 bore pistol used in the crime, a country-made pistol, live cartridges, a gas cutter, and tools for breaking into doors.
Saurabh, a class 9 dropout, had been working as a laborer at the Air Force station since 2024, handling the loading and unloading of furniture. His parents had long been employed at the Air Force station, with Shiv Kumar working as a contractual worker since 1997, and Sunita serving as a domestic helper since 2000.
This tragic incident highlights the extent to which financial pressures and criminal activities can intertwine, leading to a devastating outcome for the Mishra family.
