Indian-origin US woman, 72, came to Punjab to wed UK NRI, killed: How marriage plan turned deadly

Dubai: A 72-year-old US citizen of Indian origin, Rupinder Kaur Pandher, travelled from Seattle to Kila Raipur village in July to marry Charanjit Singh Grewal, a 75-year-old England-based NRI originally from Ludhiana.

But instead of a wedding, her visit ended in tragedy. Pandher mysteriously disappeared soon after arriving in the village.

Sister raises alarm after silence

Pandher’s sister, Kamal Kaur Khairah, grew worried when her phone stayed switched off for days. On July 28, she alerted the US embassy in New Delhi, which urged local authorities to investigate.

Murder-for-money plot uncovered

According to media reports, Assistant Commissioner of Police Harjinder Singh Gill said the investigation pointed to a financial conspiracy, with prime suspect Sukhjeet Singh alias Sonu of Malha Patti confessing to murdering Pandher on the night of July 12–13.

He confessed to burning her body with diesel in a storeroom, cooling the remains with water and dumping them in a drain near Lehra village. Partial skeletal remains have since been recovered for forensic testing.

Groom accused of masterminding killing

During interrogation, Sonu claimed he acted on Grewal’s instructions for a promised payment of ₹50 lakh. Police say Pandher had transferred large sums to Grewal and his brother, believing the money was for wedding expenses.

“This is not just a murder but a horrifying betrayal of trust and human decency,” ACP Gill said.

Hunt for absconding NRI

Police confirmed that Grewal, now absconding, has been named a prime suspect. Police are working to trace him and recover more evidence in the case.