71-year-old US citizen invited to India for marriage, burnt to death by 75-year-old NRI groom

A US citizen of Indian origin, was allegedly killed in Punjab's Ludhiana, after she arrived in the city to marry Charanjit Singh Grewal, a UK-based non-resident Indian (NRI). The 71-year-old Rupinder Kaur Pandher had travelled all the way from Seattle in the US, on the invitation of 75-year-old Charanjit Singh Grewal.

Originally from Ludhiana, Grewal, who is now absconding orchestrated the murder according to the police.

How did the incident come to light

The incident, took place in July, but came to light recently after an FIR was lodged by the Ludhiana Police against named suspects over the woman's disappearance, reported PTI.

According to the police, Pandher's sister, Kamal Kaur Khairah, became doubtful of something wrong when she found her mobile phone switched off on July 24. Concerned about her whereabouts, Khairah alerted the US embassy in New Delhi on July 28, and a pressure was built on the local police to investigate.

It is last week that the Khairah's family got to know about her death after the arrest of Sukhjeet Singh Sonu.

What was the motive and how the murder was planned

Sonu, a resident of Malha Patti was allegedly hired by Grewal for Rs 50 lakh to carry out the murder. During interrogation, Sonu allegedly admitted to killing the 71-year-old Rupinder Kaur Pandher in his house and burning the body in a storeroom.

According to the police, the motive behind the killing is financial as Pandher had transferred a huge amount of money to Grewal before she was to visit India.

Meanwhile, efforts are on to find the victim's skeletal remains and other evidence on the basis of evidences that Sonu gave during interrogation.

Efforts are on to nab Grewal, who has been named a suspect in the case and has been absconding, said the police.