Ludhiana: A 72-year-old NRI woman from Seattle was allegedly murdered and her body burnt at a house in Qila Raipur village nearly two months ago, police revealed on Tuesday.
Police have identified the main accused as Sukhjit Singh Sonu, a resident of Malla Patti Fort Raipur, who has confessed to the murder.
He allegedly carried out the crime as part of a conspiracy hatched by Charanjit Singh Grewal of Mahima Singh Wala village. Sonu was promised ₹50 lakh in cash for killing Rupinder Kaur Pandher.
Kamal Kaur Khaira, sister of the deceased, has demanded that Grewal be arrested immediately and Rupinder Kaur’s body be recovered.
On August 18, Sonu had lodged a complaint with Dehlon police, claiming unidentified persons abducted Rupinder Kaur, who had been living at his house for the past two to three months. However, a report submitted by SHO Sukhwinder Singh revealed that Sonu himself committed the murder at Grewal’s behest and burnt the body inside a store.
Kamal Kaur had earlier approached the US Embassy on July 28, after her sister’s phone was found switched off. She later received information from a family friend that Rupinder had been murdered and Sonu detained by Dehlon police.
She also alleged that Grewal had promised to marry Rupinder Kaur and called her to Qila Raipur, while Rupinder had transferred large sums of money to the accounts of Sonu and Grewal.
According to the report, police have recovered crucial evidence from Sonu’s house.
