An overnight conversation outside a Lucknow hotel became fatal when a hotel attendant was gunned to death by a property dealer after he asked a seemingly innocuous question.
The accident was around 12:30 to 1:00 am on Monday at Hotel Ishan Inn in Vikalp Khand, Chinhat, Lucknow. The victim Diwakar Yadav was an employee aged 21 years old and a resident of Sultanpur Jaisinghpur Bilari. He was shot alongside the hotel area.
Who Was Involved?
The accused, identified as Akash Tiwari (23), a property dealer by profession who hails from Gosaiganj, Ayodhya but resides in Matiyari, Chinhat, is said to have been with 26-year-old Pushpa Gautam, alias Payal, an event manager who resides in Vikaskhand, Chinhat.
When the incident happened, Akash was seen hovering around on his bicycle in front of the hotel when Diwakar asked him, “Why are you standing here?” Pushpa, who had a room at the hotel, stepped out in an inebriated condition, sat on the bicycle belonging to Akash, and they were gone soon after.
Sequence Leading to the Murder
Inspector Dinesh Chandra Mishra of the Chinhat police station said that Pushpa had come out of her hotel room while on a phone conversation. During this time, the staff members, including Diwakar, made indecent remarks, and there was a verbal altercation between them.
Pushpa described what had happened to Akash when he left the hotel. Enraged, Akash went back to the hotel in 10 minutes. There was a furious fight between him and Diwakar, during which Akash took out his gun and fired a shot at Diwakar’s neck.
Medical Emergency and Arrests
Diwakar was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital of Medical Sciences by the co-owner of the hotel, Devendra Mishra, but died from his injuries during treatment. Devendra also lodged an FIR against the accused later. The police have seized the CCTV footage from the hotel as evidence.
DCP Singh confirmed, “Both have been arrested, and the weapon of the crime is being traced. Akash will also be booked under the Arms Act.”
Victim’s Family in Shock
Diwakar’s family members, who came to Lucknow following the incident, said they did not know about his line of work. “We did not know Diwakar was working at a hotel. Our nephew called us last night and said that there was a fight and everyone was at the police station. When we came to Lucknow, we got the news of the murder,” the family informed TOI.
Hotel Ishan Inn is reportedly co-owned by Diwakar’s cousin Uday Sen Yadav of Sultanpur and Devendra Mishra from Barabanki.
Accused Has Prior Criminal History
Authorities also revealed that Akash Tiwari had previously served jail time in 2023 for a murder case in the Sushant Golf City area. In addition, he was booked in 2024 for assault and rioting at the BBD police station.
