E-Paper
Abducted Punjabi singer found dead in Ludhiana canal; Canada-based suspect flees
29-year-old Ludhiana victim’s family alleges she was killed for rejecting a marriage proposal from an Instagram acquaintance who concealed his existing marriage.
Abducted at gunpoint in Ludhiana on May 13, a 29-year-old Punjabi singer and makeup artist was found dead in the city on Tuesday morning.
The body of Inder Kaur, also known as Yashinder Kaur, was recovered from Sirhind Canal at Neelon, said police.
The victim’s family alleged that the murder was orchestrated by Sukhwinder Singh, alias Sukha, 37, a married man from Moga, currently based in Canada, after Inder rejected his marriage proposal.
Taking swift action, police arrested Sukha’s father Pritam Singh and an aide Karamjit Singh of Moga. Sukhwinder is suspected to have fled back to Canada through Nepal.
Police recovered the decomposed body from the canal at 11 am following a tip-off. It was subsequently identified by her family members and taken to the Ludhiana civil hospital for a post-mortem examination. Her Ford Figo car was recovered earlier from the canal.
Met accused on Instagram 3 years ago
According to the family, Inder, who had stepped away from singing five years ago to run a boutique and makeup studio, befriended Sukhwinder on Instagram about three years ago.
While the family was aware of the acquaintance, relations soured after Inder discovered that Sukhwinder was already married with two children. Following this disclosure, she refused to marry him or continue the relationship, which allegedly prompted the suspect to plot her murder.
The victim’s brother, Jotinder Singh, said Inder left their Jamalpur residence in a white Ford Figo at 6.30 pm on May 13 to buy groceries, but never returned.
During their private search, the family claimed to have learned that Sukhwinder, accompanied by his father, Pritam Singh, a friend named Karamjit Singh and several unidentified accomplices, had intercepted and abducted her at gunpoint.
The family alleged that Sukhwinder travelled from Canada to Punjab via Nepal to execute the crime, hiring two taxis from Moga for the abduction. He reached Nepal on April 29 and reached Punjab on May 2.
After allegedly killing Inder near the canal, the suspect reportedly fled back to Canada using the same transit route through Nepal.
Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, Industrial Area - A) Inderjit Singh Boparai said a team despatched to the Sirhind Canal at Neelon recovered the body, which was later verified as the missing woman. He added that the body was decomposed.
“The autopsy report is awaited to ascertain the cause of death,” said the ACP. However, the police suspect that the woman was stabbed to death with sharp-edged weapons.
The ACP said investigation was underway and police were verifying specific allegations made by the family regarding the transit route, the vehicle tracking and the individual roles of all suspects named in the complaint.
The accused are facing charges under Sections 103 (murder), 140 (1) (kidnapping or abducting of any person with the intent or knowledge that the individual may be murdered or put in danger of murder) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita; and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. More sections will be added in the FIR as the investigation progresses, said police.
