By BK Singh
In a chilling incident that has left residents in shock, a retired couple was found brutally murdered in their home in ADA Colony, Naini, Prayagraj, on Monday.
The victims were identified as 65-year-old Arun Kumar Srivastava and his wife, Meena. Their lifeless bodies were discovered in separate rooms of the house, both lying in pools of blood. Preliminary police investigations suggest the motive behind the crime was loot and murder.
No one else was present in the house at the time, except for a high school student who rents a room on the ground floor. It was this student who discovered the crime. Upon waking up and going upstairs to ask for the key to the main gate, he found the horrifying scene and alerted the authorities.
Arun Srivastava, originally from Mirzapur, had retired from a transport company in Assam. After his retirement, he had a house constructed in the ADA Colony.
The couple’s three daughters are all married, while their son, Manish, is employed with the State Bank of India in Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh. Manish was recently married, and his wife had gone to her parents’ home in Prayagraj two days before the incident.
Police officials, including ADCP N. Kolanchi and DCP Yamunanagar Vivek Chandra Yadav, arrived promptly at the crime scene along with a forensic team and a dog squad.
Meena Srivastava was still alive when discovered and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Tragically, she succumbed to injuries inflicted with a sharp-edged weapon.
CCTV footage from a nearby house proved crucial in the investigation. The video shows a suspicious individual entering the Srivastava residence at around 1:30 PM and staying inside for about an hour.
The same person is seen leaving and returning shortly thereafter, indicating repeated access to the house. Police believe this man is responsible for the double murder, committed with the intent of robbery.
According to officials, the couple appears to have resisted the intruder, but no neighbors reported hearing any screams or commotion.
The suspect allegedly attempted to clean up after the crime, wiping the bloodstains and washing the weapon in the sink. Traces of blood were later discovered in the washroom.
Manish’s father-in-law, an employee with the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA), also rushed to the scene upon hearing the news.
Authorities are actively pursuing leads and reviewing the CCTV footage, confident that the case will be solved soon.