CHANDIGARH: Authorities in Ludhiana have uncovered a horrific homicide on the city’s periphery, where 71-year-old non-resident Indian Rupinder Kaur recently arrived from the United States to wed her fiancé was savagely beaten to death, her corpse incinerated, and the remnants discarded in a drainage channel, according to police accounts.
The alleged perpetrator, Sukhjit Singh, a court typist in Ludhiana district who shared lodging with Kaur in Kila Raipur village, roughly 15 kilometers from the city center, stands accused of the attack. Investigators believe Singh acted under orders from Charanjit Singh, a 75-year-old UK resident who had jilted Kaur, prompting her threats to pursue legal action against him. While Sukhjit remains in custody, Charanjit is still at large overseas, and officials have yet to verify any outreach to him.
The case surfaced when local workers grew wary of suspicious renovations at Sukhjit’s residence, including fresh coats of paint and replaced flooring tiles. Ludhiana Police promptly filed charges against both men. Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police (II) Karanveer Singh detailed the sequence: On July 12, Sukhjit purportedly struck Kaur repeatedly with a baseball bat, ending her life. He then procured substantial quantities of coal to ignite a fire, charring her body over two to three days. What remained—mostly skeletal fragments was stuffed into bags and submerged in a nearby waterway. Sukhjit also demolished her cellphone with a hammer before discarding it, though police have since retrieved some bones and the tool.
Further inquiries revealed a tangled backstory. Charanjit, Kaur’s erstwhile companion, had once proposed marriage but reneged, fearing exposure after Kaur’s entanglement in a fraud FIR at the NRI police station, where she was labeled a fugitive. He had connected her with Sukhjit for assistance in legal matters. Evidence shows the pair’s repeated encounters in India and abroad, backed by photographs. Kaur had transferred funds to Sukhjit through banking channels, with investigators probing the sums and intent. Sources indicate Charanjit dangled a Rs 50 lakh payoff and UK residency prospects to enlist Sukhjit, who enticed Kaur back to India under marriage pretenses.
On August 18, Sukhjit lodged a missing person report, asserting Kaur had granted him power of attorney six months prior for her litigation needs. He claimed she stayed at his home for about 10 days after landing in early July, then departed for Delhi on July 18 en route to a Canadian wedding. Deputy Commissioner Rupinder Singh, speaking to The Times of India, affirmed: “Police found the NRI woman was murdered by Sukhjit at the behest of her NRI friend, Charanjit Singh. Probe revealed she had relations with Charanjit, and he initially wanted to marry her. Rupinder faced an FIR at NRI police station in a cheating case and was declared a proclaimed offender. Charanjit introduced her to Sukhjit for court-related work.”
A high-ranking officer outlined the breakthrough: Routine surveillance on the property, coupled with inconsistencies in Sukhjit’s narrative and forensic traces like lingering odors of combustion, unraveled the deception. The investigation continues, with efforts underway to repatriate Charanjit for questioning. This case underscores vulnerabilities in cross-border relationships, as police urge vigilance amid rising NRI disputes.
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