NRI murdered in cold blood, all for Rs 1,000

LUDHIANA: An Italy-based NRI was murdered in cold blood allegedly by a family just for Rs 1,000 at Cheema village in Hathur on Thursday.

Incidentally, the shocking incident was captured in a CCTV camera installed at the NRI’s house.

The victim, identified as 47-year-old Avtar Singh Pappu of Cheema village, didn’t know that asking for money that he had lent to Sukhwinder Kaur and her family would turn fatal for him.

Besides Sukhwinder Kaur, a mid-day meal cook in a government school, other accused included her sons Amritpal Singh, Jasvir Singh, Lakhvir Singh and husband Karamjit Singh. Karamjit originally belonged to Hathur and now lived at Seeloani road in Raikot.

Police officials said two years ago, Avtar Singh had given Rs 1000 to Sukhwinder Kaur who worked in the same village.

On Thursday, Avtar Singh had gone to Jagraon for health checkup. When he returned around 10am, he saw Sukhwinder and asked her to return the money.

Cops said as Sukhwinder refused to return the money, Avtar had a heated exchange of words with the cook. In the meantime, Sukhwinder called her husband and three sons to the spot.

By then, Avtar had gone back to his house. But Sukhwinder’s family reached his house on two bikes.

Cops said when Avtar came out of the house, the cook and his family started another argument with him. Hearing the noise, Avtar’s wife Jaspal Kaur and 17-year-old son Gurpreet Singh came out.

Police officials said in a fit of rage, Amritpal stabbed Avtar Singh in his neck and body multiple times with his kirpan. They said the accused then fled the spot leaving Avtar in a pool of blood. But villagers managed to catch hold of the two accused.

Jaspal Kaur told the police that her husband died on the spot after which they called Hathur police station.

SP (investigation) Rupinder Bhardwaj who visited the crime spot said the accused were booked under Section 302 (murder), 148 (Rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of Indian Penal code (IPC). He added weapon used in the crime has been found and all efforts are being made to nab the rest of the accused.

The officer said Avtar had returned from Italy on June 2. He had been working in European country for the past two years.