Punjab: 7-Year Old Murdered, Dumped In Drain For 40k, Couple Detained

An FIR was filed at Nihal Singh Wala police station against Veerpal Kaur and her husband Surjit Singh of Barnala, according to sub-inspector Amarjit Singh, SHO. They are accused under sections 103, 238, and 3(5) of BNS after a seven-year-old boy was allegedly murdered and dumped in a drain in Lohara village, Moga district.

The victim, identified as Sukhman, was discovered in the drain on July 3 and formally identified on Thursday, prompting an autopsy. Sukhman had been residing with his aunt and uncle in Bakhatgarh, Barnala district, following his mother’s remarriage after the death of his father.

According to SHO Amarjit Singh, “The child’s mother, Veerpal Kaur, from Lohara village of Moga had remarried after her husband died. Her second marriage was arranged by the accused (her relative) also named Veerpal Kaur of Bakhatgarh, Barnala. The mother had promised to pay the accused Rs 50,000 in lieu of arranging the marriage but till now had only paid Rs 10,000. So the accused kept her son with her. When the mother failed to pay the remaining amount of Rs 40,000, the accused along with her husband murdered the boy and dumped the body in a drain in Lohara village where the child’s paternal side family lives.”

The accused couple, Veerpal Kaur and Surjit Singh, are currently evading arrest. Initially, the police had begun inquest proceedings upon recovering the body, which was later identified after the mother arrived in Moga and recounted the incident. The boy’s mother currently resides in Longowal, Sangrur district.