Ludhiana double murder: Police arrest son, say he hired three men to kill parents for money

Police said that the couple’s son Harmeet Singh alias Mani, who along with his wife and two children lived on the ground floor of the house, planned the murder of his parents and hired three men to execute the killings.

According to investigators, Harmeet was going through a financial crunch and had planned the murder of his father in order to inherit his money and property. Harmeet allegedly hired three labourers and paid them Rs 2.50 lakh to kill his father. His mother was killed as she had woken up and raised the alarm after seeing the killers. The three men then suffocated Sushminder with a pillow.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Ludhiana Police Commissioner, Kaustubh Sharma said that Harmeet Singh alias Mani (40) and a contract killer, Balwinder Singh alias Raju (34), had been arrested in the case. Two other men who were hired for the killings — Sunil Masih alias Laddoo, and Vikas Gill alias Doctor of Bhamian Khurd were absconding.

Police also said that they had recovered the bike which was used in crime and the DVR of the CCTV cameras which the accused had taken along with them after the murders.

Harmeet Singh is the only son of the couple, who had two daughters, who are married.

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“During the probe it has been found that the deceased Bhupinder Singh used to look after the financial aspects of the home. He also ran a property/builder business with his son. Harmeet wanted to take control of the finances from his father. So he hired Balwinder for killing his father. Balwinder had come in contact with Harmeet Singh a few months ago and wanted a job. As the trio was unemployed, they agreed to execute the killings for money,” said CP, Kaustubh Sharma.

“The trio knocked at the gate at around 3.45 am in the night and Harmeet opened the door for them. They waited on the roof and when Bhupinder Singh opened the door of his room around 4.30 am, they barged inside and strangulated him to death with a piece of cloth they were carrying with them. Hearing noise of the struggle, Sushminder woke up and raised the alarm. The accused then overpowered her and gagged her to death with a pillow before fleeing. They took away the DVR of the CCTV camera along with them,” Sharma said.

Ravcharan Singh Brar, joint CP, rural, said that it was a well-planned conspiracy. “There was no forced entry and no sign of robbery. So, police suspected the hand of an insider in the crime. Harmeet Singh has confessed his crime. He had not paid any money to the accused yet,” said Brar.

An FIR for murder was registered at Jamalpur police station.