Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Journalism of Courage
Premium
This is an archive article published on October 5, 2022
Kidnapping of Indian-origin family in California: Relatives in Punjab shocked, parents return to US
The entire family went to the US around 16 years ago and settled there running a transport business.
Photographs of the kidnapped family shared by the Sheriff's office.
The news of the kidnapping of four members of an Indian-origin family in the United States has left their relatives in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur shocked.
Jasdeep Singh, 36, his wife Jasleen Kaur, 27, their 8-month-old daughter Aroohi Dheri and his brother Amandeep Singh, 39, were kidnapped from Merced city in California Monday, according to reports. It is learnt that Amandeep’s wife informed the family back home in Harsi village near Tanda about the kidnapping.
Jasdeep and Amandeep’s cousin Charanjeet Singh told The Indian Express that his parents left for the US Tuesday night. He said the entire family went to the US around 16 years ago and settled there running a transport business. Jasdeep and Jasleen got married in India in 2019, he added.
“His parents had come from the US to visit Hemkund Sahib. They reached here on September 27 and left for Uttarakhand. When they got the news about the kidnapping of their sons and other family members, they returned immediately and left for the US late last night,” said Charanjit Singh, adding that the kidnapping news was shocking the entire village as the family had no enmity with anyone.
Jasdeep’s father Dr Randhir Singh is a retired doctor and his mother Kirpal Kaur a retired employee of the education department.
According to US news reports, armed person kidnapped the family members from Central Valley Monday.
The police said the family was “taken against their will from a business along the 800 block of South Highway 59”. “We have a lowlife out there that kidnapped an 8-month-old baby, her mom, her dad and her uncle. So far… we have no motivation behind it. We just know they are gone,” said Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke in a video on Facebook.
Story continues below this ad
“We have got evidence to indicate the individuals involved in this destroyed evidence in an attempt to cover their tracks,” the sheriff added.
In a Facebook post shared by the Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was seen with a shaved head, a disposable face mask and a black and grey hoodie.
Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Live Blog