Ludhiana: Man tags along to meet friend’s Insta connection, killed

According to the police, victim Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Nathoke village in Moga, was attacked by around 15 members of a married woman’s family late Wednesday night

A two-week-old online friendship with a married woman that began on Instagram turned tragic when a 22-year-old from Moga was brutally assaulted and killed near the Nanaksar Bridge in Jagraon. The victim had no direct connection with the woman as he was accompanying his friend who was allegedly called by the woman for a meeting.

Police say Gurpreet Singh had accompanied his Moga friend who was called by a woman. (HT File)

According to the police, victim Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Nathoke village in Moga, was attacked by around 15 members of a married woman’s family late Wednesday night. His friend Sukha, who had developed a relationship with the woman through Instagram, managed to escape the ambush.

Sukha told the police that he met the woman on Instagram about two weeks ago. The “married” woman, a resident of Alamwala village, reportedly told Sukha over phone that her family had discovered their relationship and thrown her out of the house. She pleaded with him to meet her near Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib. It is yet to be ascertained if it was a trap.

Concerned about her safety, Sukha took his friend Gurpreet along and drove from Moga to the arranged location on a motorcycle. However, upon reaching near the Nanaksar Bridge, they were assaulted by a group of about 15 men, believed to be the woman’s family members.

As the attackers charged, Sukha managed to flee on the motorcycle, but Gurpreet tried to escape on foot towards the fields. The accused caught and thrashed him savagely, leaving him grievously injured and bleeding under the bridge.

The next morning, a couple out for a walk spotted the unconscious youth. An ambulance rushed Gurpreet to the Jagraon civil hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

Inspector Varinderpal Singh Uppal, SHO at the Jagraon City police station, said a murder case was registered against the woman and her relatives. A hunt is on for the arrest of the accused.

The police said more details about the sequence of events and the involvement of woman and others would be ascertained once the accused are caught.