Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Anupam Pandey, 26, an MTech student at IIIT Allahabad (now Prayagraj) and a resident of Lucknow, was a calm and obedient son and a loving brother.
He married Mansi Dwivedi from Bhopal on January 23, 2013 in an arranged marriage. Before the wedding, Anupam had asked Mansi if she truly wanted to proceed, and she assured him she was happy.
A month later, on February 23, Anupam stepped out of his hostel around 9 PM to withdraw cash from a nearby ATM. Minutes later, he was found lying stabbed eight times on the road. His wallet and phone were untouched, ruling out robbery. Initial investigations by Dhoomanganj police station found no clear motive, but suspicion soon fell on Mansi, whom Anupam had spoken to just before leaving.
Phone records and messages showed Mansi in frequent contact with Pradeep Sharma, a resident of Bhopal. On the night of the murder, the two communicated constantly. It emerged that Mansi informed Pradeep of Anupam’s movements. Pradeep then followed Anupam near the ATM and stabbed him to death.
Police traced both Mansi and Pradeep to Bhopal and arrested them. During questioning, both admitted involvement. Mansi had been in a relationship with Pradeep before her marriage and helped plan her husband’s killing rather than ending the affair.
Sister fights for justice
Anupam’s elder sister, Anuja Pandey, launched an online campaign and petition demanding justice. She shared call recordings and Facebook messages linking Mansi and Pradeep to the murder, bringing public attention to the case and ensuring sustained pressure on investigators.
