Lucknow: Investigators are examining a reported Rs 1 crore alimony demand in connection with the double murder and suicide case that shocked Lucknow on Thursday.

According to police sources, Manas Vajpayee, 38, allegedly shot his wife Divya Mishra outside the ICICI Bank office in Gomti Nagar, where she worked. He then allegedly killed his sister before turning the weapon on himself. Police said Divya was taken to hospital but was declared brought dead.

The couple had reportedly been living separately for more than a year. Divya had filed for divorce last year, and during recent court proceedings, an alimony demand of Rs 1 crore allegedly came up. Investigators are now trying to determine whether the financial dispute played a role in the tragedy.

Police sources said the divorce case had come up in court just two days before the killings, and the alimony issue may have escalated tensions between the estranged couple.

Officials are also looking into the role of family conflict involving Manas’s sister Shiva Vajpayee, who reportedly lived with the couple and was said to be dealing with mental health issues. According to sources, the relationship between Manas and Divya had grown strained over that issue as well.

Divya’s sister Pragya Mishra, a YouTuber, has alleged that Manas was violent toward Divya over minor household issues. In a social media post, she claimed the couple often fought and questioned how he had access to the revolver allegedly used in the crime.

Police said that after shooting Divya, Manas returned home and allegedly killed his 28-year-old sister before dying by suicide. Before taking his own life, he reportedly posted a WhatsApp status claiming he had killed his wife and sister.

The investigation is continuing, with police examining the financial dispute, family tensions and the sequence of events that led to the deaths.