Tarn Taran: 3 of family strangled to death in Patti village

Tarn Taran, November 8

Three members of a family, including two women, were strangled to death by unknown persons at Tung village in Patti sub-division located on the Patti-Harike road here last night. The incident came to light today morning.

The deceased were identified as Iqbal Singh (55), his wife Lakhwinder Kaur (53), and his widow sister-in-law (brother’s wife) Sita Kaur (60). Their bodies were found in different rooms. Their hands were tied behind with ropes before they were strangled to death. Family’s son-in-law Charanjit Singh, a resident of Sabhra village, found about murders when he came to the house as per daily routine.

The sons of the deceased couple reside in Australia. Charanjit looked after his in-laws and maintained their property. He saw the bodies lying in different rooms.

Senior police officials reached the spot and started investigation. Though the exact motive behind the murders was yet to be ascertained, the unknown suspects took along migrant farm labourer Ashok Kumar, who was sleeping in a separate room. He was brutally thrashed and thrown in a nearby canal by the suspects.

However, he somehow survived and returned home. He is in semiconscious condition and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Ashok had been working with the family for the past 20 years. The assailants after committing the crime took away a licensed rifle, besides cash, gold ornaments and other valuables from the house.

SSP Ashwani Kapur said a preliminary probe revealed that two persons had come to meet the family three days ago. They and two of their accomplices had come to meet the family yesterday also.

The SSP said investigation was in progress to identify the suspects and motive behind the murders. He said initially robbery appeared to be the cause behind the incident, but it would be premature to say anything in concrete. Ashok too was under scanner, he added.

The SSP said as it was a serious crime so all senior police officers, forensic and cybercrime teams were called on the spot for investigation. The bodies had been kept in the mortuary of the Civil Hospital, Patti. The sons of the deceased couple, who were in Australia, had been informed about the incident. The bodies would be cremated after their arrival, he said.