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Murdered Tarn Taran couple wanted to settle in Canada
The couple who was hacked and shot dead outside their house in Naushehra Dhala village, 40 kms from the district headquarters, on Sunday, wanted to settle abroad.
The couple who was hacked and shot dead outside their house in Naushehra Dhala village, 40 kms from the district headquarters, on Sunday, wanted to settle abroad.
Amanpreet Kaur, 23, and her husband Amandeep Singh, 24, were killed by her relatives as they were opposed to the couple’s love marriage.
The family members of Amandeep Singh said that the couple had been planning to settle in Canada. “Amanpreet had scored 7 bands in International English Language Testing System (IELTS). She was currently pursuing BSC nursing from a college in Amritsar,” said Amandeep’s paternal uncle Gurmeet Singh.
Gurmeet said duo studied in Harkrishan Public School where they developed liking for each other, however, Amanpreet’s cousins (brothers), who were also in the same school, had been keeping grudge against them since then.
“Initially Amanpreet’s parents opposed the relation, but later they accepted the couple and were also present at the court for their marriage. However, Amanpreet’s uncle (father’s brother) Massa Singh and his two sons were against the marriage,” he said.
The couple were shot dead while they were coming after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha Sahib near Chabhal town.
The family also alleged that if there had been any fear of police in the area, the life of the couple could have been saved.
Gurmeet said, “The couple was kidnapped near Rajatal T-point as there was no police barricading on Sunday. The accused shot and hacked them to death outside their home fearlessly. It seems there is no fear of law in the area. Around one and a half months ago, three members of a family were also hacked to death in the village.”
“The border area is notorious for heroin smuggling and police always remain inactive here,” he added.
Meanwhile, police were yet to make any arrest in the case. Police had booked ten people, including five by name on Sunday. The arrested accused were identified as the girl’s uncle Massa Singh and his two sons—Gurbhinder Singh and Surjit Singh—, the girl’s other cousin brothers Harwinder Singh and Amarjit Singh.
“Raids are being conducted to arrest the accused,” said deputy superintendent of police (DSP-city), Tarn Taran, Kawaljit Singh.
The family also alleged that the weapons used in the crime were illegal. “Gurbhinder and Surjit are also drug smugglers, but the police had not acted against them,” said Gurmeet Singh.
“We have found that the accused had an arm license. We are also investigating whether the weapons used in the crime were illegal. I have also asked Sarai Amanat Khan station house officer (SHO) to find out if the accused had criminal background.”
Earlier, the bodies of the couple were sent to Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, on Sunday, however, postmortem was yet to be conducted till filing of the report.
Amandeep’s family members alleged that they were harassed by police and were told that the postmortem would be conducted on Tuesday.
The bodies of the duo were sent to Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, on Sunday for conducting the post-mortem. Till filing the report, the post-mortem was not conducted.
