The Hindu : New Delhi News : Murder of elderly man solved

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 05, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Murder of elderly man solved

By Our Staff Reporter

Kanwaljit Kaur, accused of murdering her father-in-law, after her arrest in the Capital on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI, MAY 4. The widowed daughter-in-law of a 72-year-old property dealer has been arrested on charges of conspiring with two of her accomplices to kill him, his wife and daughter at their Pitampura residence in North-West Delhi this Monday. The police, who have launched a hunt for the other two accused, said she tried to wipe out the whole family to inherit their property.

The incident came to light around 10-15 a.m. when the property dealer, Saudagar Singh, his wife, Kuldeep Kaur, and daughter, Gurdeep, were found stabbed by their neighbour. They were rushed to hospitals where Saudagar was declared dead on arrival, while the other two were stated to be in serious condition.

Enquiries revealed that the incident could be the fallout of a property dispute between Saudagar and his widowed daughter-in-law, Kanwaljit Kaur, who lived in Tilak Nagar. The police picked her up from near her residence this afternoon. During interrogation, she confessed to having masterminded the murderous assault on her in-laws.

Kanwaljit was married to Saudagar's son, Gurmukh Singh, three years ago. Due to some differences, Gurmukh used to have frequent altercations with his father, after which he and Kanwaljit shifted to Tilak Nagar. Unnerved by the family dispute, Gurmukh hanged himself to death last year. The same year, Kanwaljit gave birth to a baby girl and due to increasing financial problems, approached Saudagar for help. She asked him to give her share in his property, which he turned down outright.

In the meantime, Kanwaljit's brother, who was providing financial support to her, was arrested in a murder case. Kanwaljit had by then developed intimate relations with her brother's friend, Nawab Singh. The two explored the possibilities of getting her share in Saudagar's property through legal means, but found the process cumbersome. Hence, they along with Balraj, a friend, conspired to eliminate the whole family to inherit the property.

Knowing that Saudagar would not let Nawab and Balraj into his house, they planned to abduct his son-in-law, Anil Nangia, who is a doctor, and gain entry into the house through him. On the fateful day, they went to Dr. Nangia's clinic and requested him to come along with them. He refused upon which they abducted him at gunpoint and took him to Saudagar's residence. On the way, they dropped Kanwaljit at Tilak Nagar.

Around 10 a.m., Dr. Nangia knocked the door asking Saudagar to open it. As he opened the door, the two accused forced their way in and threatened to kill Dr. Nangia. They asked Saudagar to bequeath his property to Kanwaljit. Saudagar refused to sign the papers, following which Nawab and Balraj attacked him, his wife and daughter with knives.

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