In a disturbing case of betrayal and violent robbery, Kanpur Police have arrested Nitin Tripathi, a neighbour of the victim, for orchestrating the loot and murder of 72-year-old Prem Lata Mishra in the Rambagh locality on July 9.
The crime, which shocked the community, involved two other accomplices:
Shariq, from Chamanganj
Shahnawaz, from Shuklaganj, Unnao
All three were intercepted by police during a pre-dawn encounter around 4:30 AM near the Dada Nagar bridge on Saturday. During the confrontation, Shahnawaz sustained a leg injury. Police recovered a pistol, ammunition, cash, and gold jewellery looted during the crime.
The victim, Prem Lata Mishra, was the wife of Krishna Kumar Mishra, former head of the chemistry department at Har Sahai Jagdamba College. She was brutally murdered during a robbery in which the trio stole between Rs1.5 to Rs2 lakh and 8–10 tolas of gold.
DCP Central Shrawan Kumar Singh confirmed that Nitin Tripathi, a long-time neighbour, was the mastermind behind the heinous act. Nitin, once regarded as a respectful and familiar face in the locality, reportedly addressed the victim as “aunty.”
During the crime:
Shahnawaz entered the house first
Nitin Tripathi followed
Shariq stood outside, communicating with the others via WhatsApp calls
Surveillance footage captured Shahnawaz exiting the residence, which helped investigators piece together the events.
Police had already developed intelligence on Nitin and Shariq, and tracked the gang’s movements. As the suspects tried to flee early Saturday morning, they were caught during a confrontation with law enforcement.
The recovered evidence includes:
A firearm with live rounds
Rs1.5 lakh in cash
Gold ornaments believed to belong to the victim
Prem Lata’s family and neighbours expressed shock and disbelief at Nitin’s betrayal. Known to be respectful and soft-spoken, his involvement in the murder has left many grappling with trust issues and a sense of deep loss.
