Patiala cops crack woman's murder

Patiala, August 9

The police claim to have cracked the murder of an NRI’s mother, who was strangled to death at her house in Bhedwal Jhungian village on August 2, with the arrest of two suspects. The stolen cash and valuables have been recovered from them.

According to SSP Varun Sharma, they got information that Randhir Kaur (70) of Bhedwal Jhungian village was found dead with a dupatta tied around her neck. Strangulation marks on her neck indicated murder. The woman had bruises on her face and nose, which showed she was hit badly.

The SSP identified the two suspects as Ramdugar Sahu, a native of Bihar, and Amrik Singh of Rajpura.

Varun Sharma said a case under Sections 302, 449, 34 of the IPC was registered against unknown persons at the Kherhi Gandia police station. “A team comprising SPs Mohammed Sarfaraz Alam and Harbir Singh Atwal; and CIA incharge Shaminder Singh, got some leads which helped us crack the case within a week,” he said.

Shaminder Singh said since robbery was the motive, they initially suspected the hand of local residents in the murder. The entry of an outsider inside the village was not possible. “While scanning the footage of the nearby CCTV cameras, we found two men riding a bike, the number plates of which were tempered with. Following the leads, we managed to trace the owner of the bike to Bihar,” he said.

The SSP said Shaminder Singh and his team arrested Ramdugar Sahu of Biswari village in Bihar. “During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and told us that Amrik Singh of Baba Ajit Singh Nagar of Neelpur in Rajpura was also with him,” he said.

The police said the two worked as painters and had also worked at the victim’s house some months ago. “They had targeted the woman as they knew she stayed alone and always wore gold earrings and a ring. They thought she would have more cash at home since one of her sons was settled in Germany and the other son worked as a property dealer in Mohali.

“They entered her house on August 2. They first suffocated her with a pillow and then strangled her to death,” said the SSP.

The bike used in the crime and the valuables stolen from the woman have been recovered along with the cash that the suspects got after selling some gold.

Robbery motive, accused worked at victim’s house

The police said the two were painters and had also worked at the victim’s house in Bhedwal Jhungian village some months ago. They targeted the woman as they knew she stayed alone and always wore gold earrings and a ring. They thought she would have huge cash at home since one of her sons was settled in Germany and the other was a property dealer.