Melbourne:
The murder of a 35-year-old Indian in New Zealand's Auckland has taken a new turn after it emerged that one of the accused in the case is his wife, sending shockwaves among the Sikh community there.
Amandeep Kaur, 31, and her 25-year-old co-accused Gurjinder Singh were yesterday charged for the murder of Davender Singh on August 7. Both of them pleaded not guilty. Their name suppression was lifted yesterday when the duo appeared in the court.
Kaur was the wife of the victim and was with him on the night of August 7.
Police said the couple stopped on a Papatoetoe road to eat takeaways on their way home from work. Davender Singh was then viciously attacked with a sharp object and died in the driver's seat, The New Zealand Herald reported today.
After his death, his family said he had no enemies and believed his killing was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Family spokesman and Sikh leader Daljit Singh said many in the community were unaware of charges against Kaur until yesterday, he said.
Daljit Singh said the community's "moral duty" was to support the couple's 10-year-old son in India. The couple sent him back so they could focus on their careers.
Sikhs had raised about New Zealand dollar 10,000 for the boy and a further 15,000 dollars, with help from ACC and Victim Support, for the victim's body to be sent back to India.
"Arrangements are being made for the body to be sent to his parents for cremation," said Daljit Singh. After the attack, Detective Inspector Dave Lynch said: "Singh's got a lot of wounds so there's definitely an indication of a violent struggle...in and around the vehicle." Kaur will remain in custody until at least October, when she and her co-accused will be back in court.
Davender Singh came from Rajasthan seven years ago and was working as an upholsterer for a furniture company in Mangere - a suburb in Auckland.