Samrala: Man pushes five-yr old daughter into canal, is arrested later

Police said that the man was having an extra-marital affair with his sister-in-law and they conspired to kill his wife by pushing her into the canal. Police said that he told his wife that a black magic practitioner has advised him to throw some coconuts in the water for the happiness and well-being of the family. However, the wife insisted on taking both children along for the ritual.

When they reached the spot, the man pushed his wife into the canal. But instead the five-year-old, who was holding her mother’s hand, slipped into the canal and died. Police said that the man’s wife was suffering from depression and other mental diseases. She did not comprehend the extent of the tragedy at the spot and returned home later. Once they had returned, the five-year-old’s brother, who is 8, told his uncle that his father had thrown his sister into the canal. When the uncle questioned the man about the whereabouts of the girl, he again concocted a second story stating that a sorcerer had advised him to make a “human sacrifice” of the five-year old daughter, else there would be a death in the family. The uncle informed the police following which investigation was started and it was revealed that the man and his sister-in-law had hatched the entire conspiracy to kill the wife.

Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal said that the man, identified as Gurpreet Singh (38), of Rohle village and his sister-in-law, Sukwinder Kaur (45) of Malerkotla, were arrested for the girl’s murder. The officer said that the incident happened on Sunday morning when Gurpreet along with his wife Gurjit Kaur and two children — Sahilpreet Singh (8) and Sukhmanpreet Kaur (5) — had gone to the canal.

SSP Kondal said that Gurcharan Singh, brother of the accused Gurpreet Singh, had told the police in his complaint that his brother and sister-in-law Gurjit Kaur had murdered their daughter. She said that during investigation, Gurpreet had initially made up a false story claiming that he was advised by a sorcerer to sacrifice his daughter for the happiness of the family and that if he would not do so, then there would be another death in the family. However, during probe, it was found that Gurjit, the mother of the child, was not involved in the conspiracy and instead she was a patient of depression, whom Gurpreet wanted to eliminate.

“During questioning Gurpreet Singh confessed to his crime. Following the information provided by the accused, police also arrested his sister-in-law Sukhwinder Kaur. Gurpreet Singh stated that he had developed an illicit relationship with Sukhwinder Kaur. ,”said the SSP.
Samrala DSP Waryam Singh said that the girl’s 8-year old brother narrated the entire incident to his uncle after returning home. “It was only after he told his uncle that his sister had drowned in the canal that police were informed. The mother is in such a condition that she did not even react to her daughter not returning home with her,” said DSP.

SSP Kondal said that efforts were being made to recover the body of the girl from the canal and divers had been pressed job. An FIR for murder and conspiracy was registered against Gurpreet Singh, who is a labourer, and Sukhwinder Kaur at Samrala police station. “We have discharged Gurjit Kaur who was initially booked as an accused,” she said.