Strangled, Stuffed In Suitcase, Burnt: Punjab Man Kills Lover's Daughter

A 23-year-old man from Punjab was arrested for allegedly murdering a teenage girl, stuffing her body into a suitcase and setting it on fire in a forest area to destroy evidence.

The victim has been identified as the 15-year-old daughter of Usha Rani, a resident of Garhshankar Road in Nawanshahr. She had been missing since May 29.

The case came to light after the mother approached the City Nawanshahr Police Station and lodged a complaint. In her statement, she alleged that an unidentified person had lured her minor daughter away under the pretext of marriage while she was away from home. Police registered a case and launched an investigation.

Turned out the main suspect was closer to her than she imagined. Senior Superintendent of Police, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Tushar Gupta, said investigators identified Gurwinder Singh, alias Gurpreet Gopa, a resident of Jadli village, as the main suspect.

During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime. According to the police investigation, Gurwinder was in a relationship with the victim's mother and frequently visited the family's home. Police said the teenage girl objected to the relationship, leading to repeated disputes and resentment.

According to police, the accused found the girl alone at her rented accommodation on Garhshankar Road on May 29 and allegedly strangled her.

Investigators said he then placed the body inside a suitcase, tied it to the pillion of his motorcycle and travelled to a secluded forest near Khuralgarh village in neighbouring Hoshiarpur district, where he allegedly set the suitcase and the body on fire.

Following the accused's confession, a police team led by Inspector Avtar Singh, along with forensic experts, searched the forest area and recovered charred skeletal remains believed to be those of the victim.

The accused has been arrested, and the remains have been sent for forensic examination. Further investigation is underway.