VOI World/ Desk
In a chilling case out of Ludhiana, Punjab, Rupinder Kaur Pandher, a 71-year-old US citizen of Indian origin, was allegedly killed after traveling from Seattle to marry Charanjit Singh Grewal, a 75-year-old UK-based non-resident Indian. The incident took place in July but became public only recently when police filed an FIR.
Pandher’s sister, Kamal Kaur Khairah, raised alarm when her phone went off on July 24 and she couldn’t reach her. She reported the disappearance to the US Embassy, which prompted the involvement of local police.
Investigators say a man named Sukhjeet Singh “Sonu” was arrested and confessed to killing Pandher in his house. He allegedly burned her body in a storeroom and disposed of remains after being promised ₹50 lakh by Grewal. Grewal has been named a suspect and is absconding. The prime motive appears financial, including a large sum Pandher had transferred prior to travelling.
Authorities are now working to recover her skeletal remains and gather evidence. The case has shocked both local communities and the diasporic Indian community, raising questions about marriages involving NRIs, caretaker responsibilities, and vulnerable situations faced by elderly individuals enticed by promises of companionship.
