Greed, Betrayal and Murder: Daughter Pays ₹7 Lakh to Hire Hitmen to Kill Mother

There are crimes that begin with rage, and there are crimes that begin with silence.

For nearly three years, a quiet dispute simmered inside a family in Jaipur. At its heart were a modest home, a government job and a mother who, according to police, never imagined that the greatest danger she faced was not from a stranger, but from someone she had raised.

Neeraj Sharma, 45, had already endured one devastating loss. About a year after her husband's death, she accepted a compassionate appointment as a Lower Division Clerk in a court, hoping to rebuild life for her children.

But investigators now allege that the job she accepted became the spark for a deadly conspiracy.

Police say her 23-year-old daughter, Ayushi Sharma, wanted the government post for herself. Alongside a long-running property dispute, investigators believe the resentment grew into a plan to eliminate the only person standing between her and both the job and the family's assets.

According to the investigation, Ayushi allegedly found willing allies within the family. Police claim she conspired with her uncle, Mohan Swaroop, and her cousin, Balram alias Ravi, to orchestrate the murder.

The conspiracy, investigators allege, did not unfold overnight.

Police say the group hired contract killers for ₹7 lakh and spent nearly a month watching Neeraj's daily routine. Their first attempt, using a rented Mahindra Thar, reportedly failed. But they did not abandon the plan.

Instead, they waited.

On the morning of July 3, Neeraj followed what had become a familiar routine. She dropped her son at a coaching centre and began the journey home through Jaipur's Pratap Nagar area.

According to police, she never realised she was being followed.

Investigators allege that members of the conspiracy tracked her movements in real time. One suspect reportedly relayed her location over the phone, while another waited nearby on a motorcycle.

Then came the final act.

Police say a Scorpio SUV accelerated to around 130 kmph before crashing into Neeraj. The force of the collision hurled her body nearly 100 feet, killing her instantly.

To anyone passing by, it appeared to be another horrific road accident.

That, investigators believe, was exactly how it had been planned.

But accidents rarely leave behind perfect stories.

As officers examined CCTV footage from nearby cameras, they began noticing details that, according to police, did not fit the narrative of an ordinary crash. Frame by frame, investigators pieced together what they now describe as a carefully orchestrated murder disguised as a traffic accident.

The trail eventually led back to Neeraj's own family.

Police have since arrested Ayushi Sharma, her uncle Mohan Swaroop, and five others — Mohit Sharma, Akash Sharma, Arvind Sharma, Hemant Sharma and Rohit Jatav. Another alleged conspirator, Balram alias Ravi, remains absconding.

According to investigators, Ayushi admitted during questioning that she wanted the government job created after her father's death but that her mother had accepted the appointment instead. Police allege she then conspired to eliminate Neeraj in order to gain both the job and the family's property.

The complaint was lodged by Neeraj's brother, Rakesh Kumar Sharma, who told investigators that his sister had repeatedly complained of harassment and had received threats linked to the family's property dispute.

The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny. Yet, even before the trial begins, the case has become a stark reminder that not every family tragedy unfolds behind closed doors.

Police reportedly said that because it happened on a busy road, it was disguised as an accident, but they are examining the CCTV cameras for further details.