Family burnt alive in Jalandhar: Day on, accused found hanging from tree

The Ludhiana rural police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It is suspected that the accused died by suicide.

A day after a 30-year-old man allegedly killed his wife, in-laws and two stepchildren after setting them on fire in Mehatpur area of Jalandhar, his body was found hanging from a tree on the banks of the Sutlej River in Ludhiana’s Khurshedpur village on Wednesday morning.

Upset that his wife was refusing to return to her marital home, Kuldeep, who was addicted to drugs, entered his in-laws’ house on October 18, while the family was asleep, and set them on fire after dousing petrol on them. (HT File)

The accused, Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Khurshedpur village, had allegedly committed the murders with the help of his friends Kulwinder Singh and Malkiat Singh. Superintendent of police (investigation) Sarabjit Singh Bahia said Kulwinder Singh has been arrested, while Malkiat Singh is on the run.

Mehatpur station house officer (SHO) Balraj Singh said the Ludhiana rural police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It is suspected that the accused died by suicide.

Upset that his wife was refusing to return to her marital home, Kuldeep, who was addicted to drugs, entered his in-laws’ house on October 18, while the family was asleep, and set them on fire after dousing petrol on them. He locked the door from outside and fled. The victims were identified as Paramjit Kaur, 28; her children aged 8 and 5, respectively; her father Surjan Singh, 50; and mother, Jogindero Bai, 49. While Jogindero and her eight-year-old granddaughter dies on the spot, the other three victims were rushed to Nakodar Civil Hospital, from where they were referred to the Jalandhar Civil Hospital. All three succumbed to their injuries, police said.

A case has been registered against the accused under Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Mehatpur police station on the statement of Lakhwinder Singh, the younger brother of Surjan Singh.

The FIR said that the accused married Paramjit a year ago. It was their second marriage. Paramjit had returned to her parents’ house a month after her marriage alleging torture. The village panchayat had also tried to resolve the dispute, but to no avail. However, no police complaint was lodged. Kuldeep had been trying to convince Paramjit to return home but she kept refusing. Kuldeep even threaten to kill the family, said the FIR.