By Sumesh Rajan | July 8, 2026
Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA: What initially appeared to be a fatal road accident in Jaipur has turned out to be a meticulously planned contract killing allegedly masterminded by the victim's own daughter, who police say wanted to inherit her mother's government job and property.
Seven people, including the victim's 23-year-old daughter, have been arrested in connection with the murder, while another key conspirator remains absconding.
The victim, Neeraj Sharma (45), a Lower Division Clerk (LDC) employed in the court under a compassionate appointment, was killed on the afternoon of July 3 after a speeding Scorpio SUV deliberately rammed into her in Jaipur's Pratap Nagar area.
According to Jaipur East Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ranjita Sharma, investigators initially treated the incident as a road accident. However, the case took a dramatic turn after Neeraj's brother, Rakesh Kumar Sharma, filed a complaint expressing suspicion that his sister had been murdered.
During the investigation, police examined CCTV footage from the area and discovered that the collision had been deliberately orchestrated rather than being an accident. The footage allegedly showed the SUV intentionally targeting Neeraj before fleeing the scene.
Murder planned over government job and property
Police said Neeraj's husband, Vijay Kumar Sharma, who worked as a Lower Division Clerk in a court, died about a year ago. Following his death, Neeraj secured a government job under the compassionate appointment scheme.
Investigators believe her daughter, Ayushi Sharma, wanted the job for herself. According to police, Ayushi was upset that her mother accepted the appointment instead of allowing her to seek employment through compassionate grounds.
During interrogation, Ayushi allegedly admitted that she had repeatedly asked her mother to let her obtain the government job after her father's death. When Neeraj joined the service instead, resentment reportedly grew within the family.
Police are also investigating an ongoing dispute over family property, which they believe further strengthened the motive behind the alleged conspiracy.
Conspiracy allegedly hatched over three months
According to investigators, Ayushi allegedly conspired with her paternal uncle, Mohan Swaroop (56), and her cousin Balram alias Ravi, who is currently absconding.
Police said the trio spent nearly three months planning the murder and considered multiple methods of eliminating Neeraj before deciding to disguise the killing as a hit-and-run road accident.
Investigators revealed that the accused first rented a Thar SUV and attempted to execute the plan, but the attempt failed. They subsequently arranged a Scorpio SUV and continued monitoring Neeraj's daily movements for nearly a month.
Police said the conspirators allegedly hired Hemant Sharma (20), a resident of Bharatpur, by offering him Rs 7 lakh to carry out the murder. Hemant allegedly recruited four associates to execute the contract killing.
Victim was under surveillance for weeks
According to police, the hired assailants closely tracked Neeraj's routine for several weeks before carrying out the attack.
On July 3 at around 4:45 pm, Neeraj was returning home after dropping her differently-abled son at a coaching institute when the accused allegedly put their plan into action.
Police said one conspirator continuously monitored Neeraj's movements and shared her live location with the attackers. Another suspect reportedly remained nearby on a motorcycle, while the Scorpio carrying the assailants followed the victim.
As Neeraj walked along the road in Pratap Nagar, the speeding Scorpio allegedly accelerated to nearly 130 kmph before deliberately crashing into her.
The force of the collision threw Neeraj nearly 100 feet, killing her instantly. The vehicle fled immediately after the incident.
Police said the accused later abandoned the Scorpio and escaped on a motorcycle.
Victim had expressed fear before her death
Investigators said Neeraj had earlier confided in her brother that she feared for her safety.
According to police, Rakesh told investigators that Neeraj had repeatedly complained that her daughter, certain members of her in-laws' family and her nephew Balram had been harassing her over family property. She had also reportedly informed him that she had received repeated threats to her life.
Police said Neeraj had become increasingly concerned about her daughter's behaviour and had warned her brother that Ayushi was heading down a dangerous path.
Arrests made
Police have arrested Ayushi Sharma, Mohan Swaroop, Hemant Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Akash Sharma, Arvind Sharma, and Rohit Jatav in connection with the murder.
According to investigators, Mohit allegedly tracked the victim's movements, Rohit remained stationed nearby on a motorcycle, Akash allegedly drove the Scorpio used in the attack, while Arvind accompanied him during the execution of the plan.
The alleged mastermind's cousin, Balram alias Ravi, remains absconding, and police have launched a search operation to trace him.
The Scorpio SUV believed to have been used in the murder has been seized as part of the investigation.
Police said further investigation is underway to establish the precise role of each accused, recover additional evidence, and determine whether any other individuals were involved in the conspiracy.
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