A 27-year-old man is on the run after allegedly murdering his aunt to usurp her property, police said on Monday.
The victim, Gurcharan Kaur, 56, who worked at an anganwari centre, was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her house in Gondwal village, Raikot, on Sunday.
Her nephew, Shiv Kumar, alias Lali, of Pohir village, Dehlon, who used to live with her is missing, leading police to suspect his involvement in her murder.
As there were no injury marks on the body, police surmised she may have died by poisoning or strangulation. The body has been sent to the civil hospital to establish the exact cause of death.
Meanwhile, Shiv has been booked for murder on the complaint of Amandeep Kaur of Kalsa village, a cousin of the victim’s deceased husband.
Amandeep told the police that her cousin and sister-in-law had no children, and the latter had been living alone since his death.
Six months ago, she had her nephew Shiv move in with her. Since then, he had been harassing her for naming a local gurdwara as the inheritor of her house in her will.
Around 25 days ago, he forcibly made her change her will to name him as the heir of the property and also got engaged to a woman that Gurcharan did not approve of.
{{/usCountry}}Around 25 days ago, he forcibly made her change her will to name him as the heir of the property and also got engaged to a woman that Gurcharan did not approve of.
{{/usCountry}}Amandeep said on Sunday she received information that Gurcharan was found dead in her house, with her nephew missing. She claimed that Shiv had fled after murdering her sister-in-law.
“A manhunt has been launched to arrest the accused. The cause of death will be ascertained after autopsy,” said sub-inspector Ajaib Singh, station house officer (SHO), Raikot City, police station.