Indian-origin U.S. girl killed in Punjab at behest of NRI man she deliberate to marry

A 71-year-old U.S. citizen of Indian origin was bludgeoned to dying with a baseball bat and her physique burnt earlier than being dumped in a drain in Ludhiana allegedly on the behest of a U.Ok.-based Non-Resident Indian (NRI) man whom she was to marry, a police investigation has revealed.

The sufferer, Rupinder Kaur Pandher, got here to India from Seattle on the invitation of Charanjit Singh Grewal, an England-based NRI initially from Ludhiana, who was to be her bridegroom however later refused to marry her. She was killed in July, police stated.

A police official stated a number of the girl’s skeletal stays have been recovered from the drain.

Police have arrested Sukhjeet Singh, a typist within the Ludhiana courtroom and a resident of Kila Raipur in Ludhiana Patti, for killing the girl.

The incident got here to gentle after Ludhiana police named suspects in an FIR pertaining to Pandher’s disappearance. The FIR was lodged by Mr. Singh in August to keep away from suspicion. He advised police that Pandher had left for the Delhi airport to go to Canada to attend a marriage, police stated.

Meanwhile, Pandher’s sister, Kamal Kaur Khairah, grew suspicious when she discovered her cell phone switched off on July 24. Ms. Khairah alerted the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, which in flip pressed the native police to take up the matter.

Pandher and Mr. Grewal got here into contact with one another on a matrimonial web site and began courting, police stated.

Pandher, who was earlier married twice, had been declared a proclaimed offender in a property dispute case together with her relations and Mr. Grewal requested Mr. Singh to assist her. Pandher had even transferred her energy of lawyer to Mr. Singh and was dwelling in his home, they stated.

Mr. Grewal didn’t need to marry Pandher and requested Mr. Singh to remove her. The NRI promised to pay ₹50 lakh to Mr. Singh for killing the girl and that he would assist him transfer overseas after the crime, police stated.

On July 12, Mr. Singh allegedly hit Pandher with a baseball bat, which led to her dying. He then set the physique on hearth utilizing coal, packed her stays in gunny baggage and dumped them in a drain, they stated.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rupinder Singh stated police have recovered a number of the sufferer’s stays.

Pandher’s broken cell phone has additionally been recovered. The accused broken her iPhone utilizing a hammer, which has additionally been recovered, the officer stated.

According to police, Mr. Singh later obtained his home painted to destroy proof.

Mr. Singh has confessed to killing Pandher in his home. Mr. Grewal, who’s overseas, has additionally been booked within the case, police stated.