Lucknow/Ambedkar Nagar: The mother of Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Ashutosh Mishra was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her residence in Rudha Dhamrua village in Ambedkar Nagar districton Sunday.
The deceased, identified as Indravati, was an elderly woman who had been staying at the ancestral village. Her body was discovered by a domestic worker in the morning.
The circumstances surrounding her death have triggered a police investigation after family members noticed that several pieces of jewellery she was wearing were missing. A case of murder and robbery against unidentified persons has been registered at Malipur police station.
However, the police have not yet established that the death was a murder. A panel of three doctors conducted the post-mortem, but it did not conclusively determine the cause of death. Her viscera has been preserved for forensic examination, while her heart is also being sent for examination to rule out the possibility of cardiac arrest.
Who Is IPS Officer Ashutosh Mishra?
Ashutosh Mishra is a promoted IPS officer of the 2016 batch of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He is currently posted as Superintendent of Police at Police Bhawan Kalyan/Police Headquarters in Lucknow, where he is associated with police housing construction.
According to the available profile, Mishra entered the IPS after being promoted from the State Police Service and was formally inducted into the IPS in September 2023.
He has remained associated with Uttar Pradesh Police and is currently serving at the state headquarters in Lucknow.
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Mother Was Living in the Ancestral Village
Indravati had been living with her son in Lucknow but had travelled with him to their ancestral village around Independence Day.
Ashutosh Mishra visited the village on the occasion of a programme organised at the school associated with his family. Indravati also participated in the Independence Day celebrations and hoisted the Tricolour at Gadadhar Maryada Vidya Peeth High School on August 15.
Mishra returned to Lucknow later that day due to his official duties, while his mother stayed back at the ancestral home.
He spoke to her by phone on the night of August 15. According to the information available in the case, he again tried to contact her the following morning but received no response.
Domestic Help Found Her Body
The domestic worker arrived at the house at around 9 am for her routine work. The main door was reportedly locked from outside.
After entering the premises, she initially found that Indravati was not in her usual place. She then went inside and found her lying on a cot/bed.
Reports in the available material state that a piece of cloth had been stuffed into her mouth. The domestic worker alerted a nearby relative, who reached the house and informed other family members.
Ashutosh Mishra was subsequently informed and reached the village.
Jewellery Found Missing From Body
After reaching the house and examining the circumstances, Mishra noticed that several pieces of jewellery that his mother usually wore were missing.
The missing ornaments included a gold chain, Tulsi necklace with gold beads, nose pin, earrings/ear studs and anklets. Earlier reports also mentioned bangles and a ring among the missing jewellery.
The disappearance of the ornaments led the family to suspect that the elderly woman could have been targeted during a robbery.
Mishra subsequently lodged a complaint, following which police registered a case of murder and robbery against unidentified persons.
Post-Mortem Does Not Confirm Murder
The police have so far maintained that the cause of death remains unclear.
A panel of three doctors conducted the post-mortem examination under videography. The examination did not reveal clear external injuries or facts that could, at this stage, conclusively establish murder.
Police also noted that there were no visible injury or struggle marks on the body. Blood was reportedly seen around the lips.
Because the post-mortem did not conclusively establish the cause of death, the viscera has been preserved and sent for forensic examination. The heart is also being examined to determine whether the woman could have died due to a cardiac condition.
According to SP Prachi Singh, the post-mortem did not reveal any fact that prima facie confirmed murder. However, considering the family’s apprehension and the disappearance of jewellery, police are investigating all possible angles.
The final cause of death is expected to become clearer after the scientific examination of the viscera and heart.
Police Investigating Murder, Robbery and Cardiac Death Angles
The police investigation is currently covering multiple possibilities.
While the missing jewellery has raised suspicion of a robbery-linked killing, investigators are also examining whether the woman could have died of natural causes, including a heart attack.
The police have deployed the SWAT team, SOG, surveillance units and local police personnel. Teams are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding areas, including Dhavrua market, and analysing surveillance data to identify people who may have moved around the village during the relevant period.
As of the latest information available, police have not identified any suspect or established the identity of the alleged killers.
Police Statement on the Case
According to the police version, an initial information was received that Indravati had died following a possible heart attack. Later, after Ashutosh Mishra reached the village and noticed that her jewellery was missing, he expressed suspicion that she had been murdered.
The police and forensic teams inspected the crime scene and completed the panchnama process. Officials said there were no visible signs of injury or a physical struggle on the body.
The body was then sent for post-mortem, which was conducted by the three-member medical panel.
The investigation will now depend significantly on the forensic findings and the evidence gathered from surveillance footage and other sources.
Ashutosh Mishra’s Family Background
Ashutosh Mishra is reportedly the only son of his parents, while his two sisters are married.
His father, Ramkumar Mishra, was a principal at a government inter college and passed away around one-and-a-half years ago.
Following his father’s death, Indravati had been staying with Ashutosh in Lucknow but continued to visit the family’s ancestral village.
The family is now preparing to perform her last rites on the banks of the Saryu River in Ayodhya, with relatives and villagers accompanying the body.
Officials Visit Family After Tragic Incident
Following the incident, senior officials and public representatives visited the family to express their condolences.
Those who visited included Ayodhya Range DIG Somen Verma, Ambedkar Nagar SP Prachi Singh, ADM Jyotsav Bandhu and District Magistrate Isha Priya, besides former MLC Hiralal Yadav and other local representatives.
The case has attracted attention because of the victim’s connection with a serving IPS officer, but investigators have so far stressed that the circumstances of her death remain under examination.
Investigation Remains Open
At present, the police have not conclusively established murder. The missing jewellery and the family’s complaint have led to a formal murder-and-robbery investigation, while the medical evidence has not yet provided a definitive cause of death.
The forensic examination of the preserved viscera and heart, along with CCTV footage, surveillance inputs and other evidence, is expected to help investigators determine whether Indravati died of natural causes or whether there was criminal involvement.
The investigation remains ongoing.
