Outside the family’s home in Adarsh Nagar Simran Kaur, who was stabbed to death in Adarsh Nagar on Saturday night, had come to Delhi from Patiala last week to meet her parents and her elder sister Pooja, who had come from Canada.
On Sunday, Kaur’s husband and in-laws came to the capital following news of her death. “We were all very happy meeting each other after the lockdown. I didn’t know I would lose my daughter. She was everything to me,” said Kaur’s mother Mamta, holding her granddaughter in her arms. Mamta was with Kaur when she was stabbed.
Kaur’s cousin Taranjeet told The Indian Express that she and her mother knew the accused was following them and were trying to walk as fast as they could. “They went to get medicines for Simran’s daughter Harleen and some other items from the market. On their way back, a man was following them. Simran noticed it and walked faster. They were right outside the house when the man tried to snatch her chain. Though he couldn’t get the chain, Simran thought he had and chased him. He fell on the road and there was a scuffle and he stabbed my cousin twice,” said Taranjeet.
Kaur got married three years ago and lived with her husband Paramjeet Singh in Patiala. Singh owns a garment store, while Kaur’s father Daler Kasbe runs a photo studio.
Patwal, Singh’s uncle, said, “We were shocked when we received a call around midnight about her death. We want police to arrest the accused and give them strict punishment. She was like my daughter. I haven’t told my wife and daughter-in-law about her death yet. Everyone back home is worried as they were close to her.”
Her neighbours and family members alleged there is no police patrolling in the locality. Amit Mehra, Kaur’s neighbour, said, “I was outside my house and saw what happened. Kaur was only trying to resist the snatching. There are two police posts nearby but no personnel were there. This area is unsafe even though so many families live here.”
DCP (Northwest) Usha Rangnani denied the allegations: “We do deploy personnel here and near the market. There are also pickets set up.”