Woman found dead; second wife among 8 booked

Ludhiana: City Jagraon police booked eight persons for dowry death after a woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances at Aligarh village-Malak link road on Monday. It is alleged that the woman’s husband had solemnised another marriage without divorcing her and that he was harassing her with his family members.
The deceased has been identified as Manpreet Kaur, 24, who was married to Bachittar Singh of Gagra village, Jagraon. The couple has a 3-year-old son, Jasmanveer Singh.
Manpreet’s mother Kulwinder Kaur of Indra Colony, Jagraon said that her daughter got married to Bachittar Singh on December 10, 2018 and they have a son. On March 17, 2020, she said that Bachittar eloped with another woman, Sukhjinder Kaur, of Dangian village who hails from Moga. They started living together at an unknown place and since then, Manpreet’s in-laws started harassing her, the complainant said.
“Manpreet was living with her father-in-law Chadhat Singh and sister-in-law Sandeep Kaur. The accused were forcing her to leave the house. Some time ago, Bachittar Singh wrote to me saying that I should call my daughter back and get her married to another person, or else he would kill us both. Sukhjinder Kaur’s parents were also threatening my daughter,” she said.
According to the complainant, on October 4, she received a call from a resident of Gagra village saying that Jasmanveer was wandering around in the village, crying. She said she called her daughter but she did not answer. Thereafter, she said she reached Gagra village and found Manpreet missing. She informed the village panchayat and took Jasmanveer with her. On Monday, she said she got information from the police that a woman was found dead on the roadside and she identified the deceased as her daughter Manpreet Kaur.
Kulwinder alleged that Manpreet’s husband, second wife and their relatives killed Manpreet and dumped her body. Investigating officer sub-inspector Kirandeep Kaur said that a case has been registered against Bachittar Singh, his second wife Sukhjinder Kaur, his sister Sandeep Kaur, father Chadhat Singh, Rajji of Gagra village, Sukhjinder Kaur’s parents Nirbhey Singh and his wife Karamjeet Kaur under section 304-B (dowry death) of the IPC. The accused are yet to be arrested.