Manisha Mittal Saraswati Paradise School Sanjauli Murder

Two days after 41-year-old Manisha Mittal was shot dead by masked assailants outside a private school in Shimla’s Sanjauli area, bloodstains still mark the red-tiled entrance where the killing unfolded in broad daylight.

The sprawling premises of Saraswati Paradise International Public School (SPIPS), which caters to nearly 900 students, wore a deserted look on Monday. Instead of children returning after the summer break, a handful of police personnel moved through the campus as investigators pieced together what has become one of the most sensational murder cases in recent years in the state capital.

The killing took place around 6.50 pm on Saturday, when Manisha Mittal, the eldest daughter of the school’s founders, Dharam Pal Mittal and Nutan Mittal, was standing outside the school gate.

Inside the campus, 29-year-old security guard Yash Pal, the sole eyewitness to the shooting, recounted the moments that led to her death.

“I was standing near the main entrance gate inside the school premises. Madam had stepped outside the gate about ten minutes earlier. I was casually looking around and not paying much attention to anything. She was still in my sight and was about to enter the school when a masked man wearing a hoodie suddenly appeared and fired at her from point-blank range,” Yash Pal told The Indian Express.

“I heard at least three gunshots. In the meantime, another masked man arrived and fired another shot at Madam, who had already collapsed on the ground by then. I panicked,” he said.

The guard said his first call after the shooting was to school principal Neeraj Verma.

“When I informed him about what had happened, he initially thought I was joking and asked whether I was making a prank call. Once he realized I was serious, he instructed me to inform the police. I immediately dialled the 112 emergency helpline,” Yash Pal said.

The murder occurred on the final day of the school’s eight-day summer vacation, which began on June 6 and was scheduled to end on June 13.

According to school authorities, classes were to resume on Monday, but the killing forced the management to postpone reopening.

“The school was scheduled to reopen today, but the unfortunate incident has changed everything. The management has extended the vacations for another two to three days,” SPIPS principal Neeraj Verma said.

The incident has sent shockwaves through Housing Board Colony in Sanjauli and neighbouring localities. Baldev Thakur, president of the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA), Housing Board Colony, said parents were worried about the impact on students.

“Most of the approximately 900 students studying in the school belong to our colony or nearby areas such as Bhattakufar and Malyana. Parents are anxious following the incident and worried about the future of their children,” he said.

Thakur said residents were aware of an ongoing dispute involving Manisha Mittal and her younger brother, who currently serves as chairman of the school’s management board.

“Last year, police officials and revenue authorities, including a local tehsildar, had visited the school in connection with the dispute. The matter subsequently reached the Himachal Pradesh High Court,” he said.

A parent of a Class IX student, requesting anonymity, said uncertainty persisted despite assurances from the school administration.

“The principal and faculty members have assured us that our children’s studies will not be affected. However, parents remain worried. On Sunday, we were informed that the vacations had been extended till June 16. The government and district administration should intervene and ensure that the education of students does not suffer due to the ongoing developments,” the parent said.

Police said the victim had been living in residential accommodation within the school campus along with her 17-year-old daughter since January 5 this year. She had been living separately from her husband, a government doctor posted in Haryana.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Shimla, Abhishek, said investigators were pursuing multiple leads.

“We are working on various leads. Videos allegedly recorded by the victim, in which she purportedly named certain individuals, including some relatives, are in the knowledge of the police. We are thoroughly examining all evidence and will crack the case shortly,” he said.

Police officials said preliminary investigations suggest that more than two bullets were fired and that the victim died on the spot.

Meanwhile, Himank Mittal, Manisha’s younger brother and chairman of the school’s management board, said he too had recently been attacked.

“I was attacked by unknown persons in Rohtak district on June 1 and suffered fractures in my leg and arm. I am currently bedridden,” he said.

Acknowledging a long-running dispute with his sister over the management of the institution, Himank said: “The school was founded by my father, Darshan Lal Mittal, in 2013. Manisha was eight years older than me. There has been a long-standing dispute regarding the school management committee. Some court decisions have gone in my favour, while others have favoured my sister.”

He said a Shimla Police team had been questioning him in Rohtak since Sunday.

“I informed the police about the attack on me and provided details of the FIR registered with Rohtak Police. In response to my sister’s video allegations, I had recorded a video statement on June 10. However, before it could gain attention, my sister was murdered,” he said.

Dr Subhash Yadav, the estranged husband of Manisha Mittal, said he was informed about the killing by the police and had recorded his statement.

“We got married in 2008 and have a daughter. I received information about my wife’s murder from the police and have recorded my statement. The police are working to solve the case,” he said.

Dr Yadav confirmed that the couple had been living separately for some time.

As investigators fan out across states and examine family disputes, video recordings and other evidence, the school at the centre of the tragedy remains shut, its gates closed and reopening uncertain. Outside, the bloodstains remain a stark reminder of a killing that has shaken Shimla.