Locked phones hold key to piecing together Lucknow murder-suicide jigsaw

Cops attempting to retrieve digital data, which could provide important clues about the activities, communications and movements of the deceased in the period preceding the killings

LUCKNOW The locked iPhone 17 devices recovered from the house of bank employee Manas Bajpai and his wife Divya Mishra in Husadia, Gomti Nagar, could emerge as crucial pieces of evidence as investigators probe into the killer’s motive, the timeline of events and the source of the three unlicensed firearms used in the crime recovered from the residence.

Investigators are probing a reported dispute over a ₹1.5-crore alimony settlement, as well as the long-running disagreement between Manas and Divya over living arrangements. (Pic for representation)

Bajpai had allegedly shot his wife and sister dead before killing himself in Lucknow on Thursday.

Police recovered the phones of Manas and Divya, but the devices are reportedly locked. Cops are attempting to retrieve their digital data, which could provide important clues about the activities, communications and movements of the deceased in the period preceding the killings.

A source told HT that till now they have facility to unlock iPhone 15 only. The phones could potentially help investigators establish Manas’s communication with family members, friends and other contacts, besides shedding light on his movements in the days before he shot his estranged wife, Divya Mishra, outside her workplace and later killed his sister Sheeba Bajpai before turning the weapon on himself.

The devices are particularly significant because police suspect that Manas may have planned the killings after the August 18 family court hearing in the divorce case.

Investigators are probing a reported dispute over a ₹1.5-crore alimony settlement, as well as the long-running disagreement between Manas and Divya over living arrangements.

If recovered, call logs, messages, emails, photographs, notes, internet searches, location-related data and other digital records could help investigators establish when the plan, if any, was made and whether Manas discussed it with anyone.

Police are also likely to examine whether the devices contain evidence relating to the procurement of the three firearms recovered in the case.