For soldier’s murder, Tarn Taran police arrest wife, his cousin

Tarn Taran district police said they had arrested soldier’s wife and a cousin for killing him “to hide their illicit relationship”.

Claiming to have solved the case of murder of 32-year-old soldier Harpreet Singh, whose body was found in a dry canal near Uppal village in Khadoor Sahib sub-division, the Tarn Taran district police on Monday said they had arrested his wife and a cousin for killing him “to hide their illicit relationship”.

Harpreet Singh, 32, was killed while he was on leave. (HT Photo)

The wife, Lovepreet Kaur, 28, and Bhupinder Singh, 30, were in an illicit relationship for five years, claimed the police. “On August 31, the slain soldier’s father, Dharam Singh, had lodged a complaint at Vaironwal police station that his son, who came on leave from service, was found murdered at Uppal village,” said senior superintendent of police (SSP) Darshan Singh Mann.

“After the body and his abandoned car were found, SP Tilak Raj, DSP Pyara Singh and inspector Preetinder Singh conducted a probe, which found that his wife and cousin strangulated him to death after considering him a hurdle in their relationship,” said the SSP.

He added, “They then threw the body into the dry canal and left his car with broken glasses there.” The SSP further claimed the police had found a scarf used for the strangulation.

“A case under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), among others, has been registered,” he said.