Ludhiana: Man killed nephew, tried to pass it off as suicide

Police on Friday arrested a 50-year-old man for allegedly murdering his 27-year-old nephew who worked at his machine parts factory on Rahon Road. The police have also arrested his son and his accomplice in connection with the crime.

The accused were identified as Raj Singh alias Raja of Rahon Road, his son, Satnam Singh alias Sunny, 19, and their accomplice, Aman Sharma, 20, of Chanderlok Colony. Aman worked as a bouncer, while Satnam helped his father in the factory.

Police said Raj suspected the victim, Surinder Singh of Nawanshahr, of having illicit relations with his wife. The accused hit Surinder with an iron rod in a washroom at the factory. After he lost his consciousness, they poured pesticide in his mouth to pass it off as suicide, and later rushed him in a car to a hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival, the police said.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, City 1) Gurpreet Singh Sikand said the police came to know about the murder on Thursday night. “Victim’s brother, Parvinder Singh, told the police that Surinder’s phone was switched off since evening. A worker at the factory telephoned him and informed that Surinder had died of cardiac arrest. When he reached the factory, he found Surinder lying dead with blood oozing from his head,” the ADCP said.

How police joined the dots

The ADCP said the police found blood spots in the washroom of the factory where the victim was hit with the rod, following which they rounded up Raj and his son.

“The accused told the police that they had planned only to knock the victim unconscious and then make it look like suicide by pouring pesticide in his mouth. However, they hit him hard and he started bleeding from the head, following which they washed the blood stains, poured the pesticide into his mouth anyway and rushed him to the hospital in their Maruti Suzuki Ritz car,” the ADCP said, adding that the rod and the car used in the crime have been recovered.

A case under Sections 302 (murder) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the accused at the Basti Jodhewal police station. Station house officer sub-inspector Arshpreet Kaur said the accused will be produced before a court on Saturday.

Mockery triggered murder?

Police said Surinder is survived by his wife and six-month-old daughter. Surinder’s wife suspected him of having extra-marital affair, but was not aware that it was with his maternal aunt. She talked to her father, a Home Guard, who requested Raj and Surinder’s co-workers to talk to him, police said. However, the factory workers came to know about the real deal and started mocking Raj behind his back, following which he hatched a conspiracy to kill Surinder.