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Search on for influencer Shraddha Dubey over Lucknow cafe owner's fatal fall: ‘Body bore cigarette burns’
Shiv Sharma, 28, was found dead after falling from the apartment where he had allegedly been living with Shraddha Dubey for three to four months.
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The Lucknow police have announced a reward of Rs25,000 each for information leading to the arrest of model and social media influencer Shraddha Dubey, her sister Rashmi, and their driver, in connection with the October 9 death of 28-year-old Lucknow cafe owner Shiva Sharma, said DCP (central) Vikrant Vir. The prime accused, Dubey, remains at large, with police teams dispatched to Delhi and the Nepal border following intelligence on her possible escape routes.
The investigation gained fresh momentum on Tuesday after CCTV footage surfaced purportedly capturing Sharma's fatal fall from the fourth floor of the Awadh Green Apartments in the Balu Adda area.
Police are examining the footage to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to Sharma's death and establish the roles of those present at the apartment. They have also questioned two to three people close to Dubey to ascertain details about her relationship with Sharma and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Sharma, 28, was found dead after falling from the apartment where he had allegedly been living with Dubey for three to four months. His mother, Ranjana Sharma, accused Dubey, her sister Rashmi and several others of assaulting, harassing and blackmailing her son before his death. Hazratganj police registered a murder case under Section 103(1) of the BNS.
Body bore cigarette-burn marks
According to the FIR, a copy of which HT has accessed, Dubey and Sharma had been living together at Awadh Green Apartment near Balu Adda for around three to four months. It also alleges that Dubey pushed Sharma from the fourth floor; his mother claimed that his body bore cigarette-burn marks.
The post-mortem report cited multiple external injuries and extensive internal trauma, including damage to the lungs, liver and spleen, with the death attributed to shock and haemorrhage.
The findings establish the severity of the injuries but do not, by themselves, determine whether Sharma was pushed, jumped or fell accidentally.
Dubey's reported whereabouts have become a key focus of the investigation, with reports indicating that she may have moved towards the Nepal border.
The newly surfaced video could provide crucial leads, but its authenticity, context and evidentiary value will need to be established by investigators.
Model has 1.41 lakh followers on Instagram
Originally from Rae Bareli, Shraddha Dubey built a public profile through modelling assignments, beauty pageants and fashion events. She reportedly won the 'Best Face of Lucknow' title and has around 1.41 lakh followers on Instagram, where her account, stylebookbyshraddha, features photographs and reels. A music video featuring her, released by a prominent music company around seven years ago, has reportedly received around 2.7 lakh views on YouTube.
Her photographs with politicians, police officers and people reportedly having criminal backgrounds have drawn renewed attention following Sharma's death. Several pictures featuring influential personalities were reportedly removed from her social media account on Tuesday.
Sharma's mother alleged that Dubey invoked influential connections to intimidate him and threatened to implicate him in criminal cases or damage his reputation. Police are examining the allegations and her reported associations as part of the investigation. Photographs and social connections alone do not establish criminal involvement.
Dubey reportedly divorced her husband in 2022 and later moved into a rented flat at Avadh Green Apartments. Her son lives with her former husband.
Sharma was accused in firing case
Sharma, who lived with his family in Aliganj, ran two restaurants besides a cafe. He was also named as an accused in a firing incident at a Gomti Nagar nightclub on August 30. The police had announced a reward of ₹50,000 in that case and the Special Task Force subsequently arrested him in Patna. He was later released on bail, said police.
