More than 24 hours after the murder of a Shimla school director, police are yet to crack the case, with the unidentified assailants who allegedly shot her multiple times still at large.
The victim, Manisha Mittal (41), a resident of Rewari in Haryana, was gunned down by masked attackers near the gate of a school on Saturday evening, triggering panic in the area and sparking widespread speculation about the motive behind the killing.
Soon after the incident, a video recorded by Mittal a few days earlier surfaced on social media. In the video, she levelled serious allegations against her brother in connection with a long-running property dispute, prompting investigators to examine whether the dispute could be linked to the murder.
According to the video, Mittal claimed that she had been engaged in a prolonged legal and personal battle with her brother over ownership and control of a school property. She alleged that he had repeatedly threatened her and warned that he would kill her.
Expressing concern for her safety, she stated that her life was in danger and appealed for protection. Mittal had also addressed a press conference in April, during which she raised similar allegations. She claimed that her husband, a Deputy Chief Medical Officer in Haryana, was siding with her brother in the dispute and had allegedly assaulted her.
She maintained that the school had originally belonged to her father and that following his death, her brother had prevented her from asserting her claim over the property. She further accused her brother of conspiring against their parents over the same property-related issues.
For the past several months, Mittal had reportedly been residing on the school premises along with her teenage daughter. She had also submitted complaints to the district police, alleging threats to her life.
In the viral video, she claimed that despite bringing the matter to the attention of law enforcement authorities, no concrete action had been taken. She also alleged that her mobile phone had been hacked and that her daughter was being targeted online.
Meanwhile, Shimla Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said the investigation was progressing and special teams had been constituted to identify and apprehend the assailants.
“The crime scene has been sealed. Police teams have collected evidence from the spot and are questioning eyewitnesses. CCTV footage from the area is also being examined to gather clues regarding the movement and identity of the attackers,” he said.
The SSP added that forensic experts had been called in to assist with the investigation and expressed confidence that the accused would be arrested soon.
Police have not officially confirmed any motive so far and said all possible angles are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
