Ludhiana | 4 days on, trucker held for 36-year-old woman’s murder

The accused said he was being blackmailed by the victim who had been demanding ₹1 lakh to keep his extramarital affair a secret

 Four days after a woman was hacked to death in Samrala, police arrested a truck driver for her murder on Tuesday.

Four days after a woman was hacked to death in Samrala, police arrested a truck driver for her murder (HT Photo)

The accused, Rajinder Pal Singh of Rai Majra village, said he was being blackmailed by the victim, Lakhbir Kaur, who had been demanding ₹1 lakh to keep his extramarital affair a secret.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP, Khanna) J Elanchezhian said Lakhbir Kaur was found murdered in her home on March 18 (Holi). She was strangulated with a piece of rope before being hacked to death with a sharp-edged weapon.

“On March 17, the accused went to Lakhbir Kaur’s house on pretext of giving her the money, and murdered her,” the SSP said.

A special investigation team (SIT) comprising deputy superintendent of police (DSP, investigation) Gurwinder Singh, DSP (Samrala) Harwinder Singh Khaira and SHO inspector Hakam Singh was formed to solve the case.

The sharp-edged weapon used to stab Lakhbir Kaur, and the rope used to strangulate her were recovered from the accused, along with two mobile phones belonging to the victim.

A case had been lodged on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Sukhwinder Singh of Ram Nagar, who said his sister had been living alone in a rented accommodation due to a strained relationship with her husband.