A 23-year-old woman in Jaipur allegedly orchestrated the murder of her mother in a bid to gain control of the family's property and secure a government job, according to police. Investigators claim Ayushi Sharma, along with her uncle and cousin, hired contract killers for Rs 7 lakh and arranged for her mother to be run over by a Scorpio SUV to make the killing appear to be a road accident.
The victim, 45-year-old Neeraj Sharma, was employed as a lower division clerk (LDC) in a court. She was killed on July 3 in Jaipur's Pratap Nagar area.
Police have arrested seven people in connection with the case, including Ayushi Sharma, her uncle Mohan Swaroop, and alleged co-conspirators Mohit Sharma, Akash Sharma, Arvind Sharma, Hemant Sharma and Rohit Jatav. Ayushi's cousin, Balram alias Ravi, whom investigators describe as a key conspirator, is currently absconding.
According to investigators, Neeraj was returning home after dropping her son at a coaching centre when a Scorpio SUV, allegedly travelling at nearly 130 kmph, struck her. The impact reportedly threw her body almost 100 feet, causing her death on the spot. The driver fled the scene immediately after the incident.
While examining CCTV footage from the area, investigators found evidence that led them to believe the crash was not accidental but a premeditated murder. The investigation subsequently uncovered what police describe as a conspiracy involving several family members and hired assailants.
DCP (East) Ranjita Sharma said Neeraj's husband had died about a year ago. Following his death, Neeraj received a compassionate appointment and joined a court as a lower division clerk.
Police said Ayushi had wanted the government job that became available after her father's death. However, the position was taken by Neeraj. Investigators also said the mother and daughter had been involved in a property dispute for the past two to three years.
According to police, Ayushi allegedly conspired with her uncle Mohan Swaroop and cousin Balram alias Ravi to eliminate her mother. Investigators claim the trio hired Bharatpur resident Hemant Sharma for Rs 7 lakh to execute the murder.
Police said the accused initially conducted surveillance on Neeraj using a rented Thar SUV, but the first attempt failed. They allegedly continued monitoring her daily movements for nearly a month before carrying out the attack using a Scorpio SUV.
Investigators said the accused closely tracked Neeraj's movements on the day of the murder. Mohit Sharma allegedly shared her location with the group, while Rohit Jatav waited nearby on a motorcycle. Police claim Akash Sharma was driving the Scorpio when it hit Neeraj, with Arvind Sharma travelling in the vehicle alongside him.
After the incident, the accused allegedly abandoned the Scorpio SUV and escaped on a motorcycle.
The complaint was lodged by Neeraj's brother, Rakesh Kumar Sharma. He told police that Neeraj had previously complained about harassment by her daughter and members of her in-laws' family over property-related disputes. He also alleged that she had received repeated threats to her life.
During questioning, police said Ayushi admitted that she had wanted the government job that became available following her father's death, but her mother had accepted the appointment instead. Investigators allege that she subsequently conspired to kill Neeraj in order to gain control of both the government job and the family's property.
