British team in Punjab to probe murder case

PHAGWARA - A special four-member team of the British police has come to this Punjab town to probe a nearly three-year-old murder of an Indian origin British woman, allegedly for dowry.

Led by David Reid, the team reached Punjab Thursday and recorded the statements of the woman’s family members, who have alleged she was harassed for dowry before being murdered. Senior officials of Punjab Police and an interpreter are assisting the visiting team in its probe.

Manjit Kaur, a resident of Mohalla Atish Bajan here, was married to Britain-based Jagpaljeet Singh. She was allegedly murdered by her husband and his family members at their native village Beeja near Khanna town in November 2007.

Jagpaljeet’s family members told the police that Manjit died in a road accident. But her family expressed suspicion about their son-in-law and his family members.

The police registered a murder case against Jagpaljeet, his mother, brother and sister-in-law.

However, after the registration of the case, Jagpaljeet stealthily flew back to Britain.

On seeing no development in the Punjab Police probe, Manjit’s father approached the British police and registered a case with them.

“We are assisting the UK police team in every possible way. Yesterday (Thursday) they met Manjit’s family members and recorded their statements. They also visited Jagpaljeet’s house in village Beeja, where the crime had taken place,” Phagwara Superintendent of Police Kanwaljit Singh Dhillon told IANS.

Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, father of the dead woman, said: “We are very satisfied with the UK police. They were very serious about this case. I am sure that now we will get justice.”

“Jagpaljeet was harassing my daughter for bringing more dowry. I had once sent Rs.400,000 to him but he did not stop harassing Manjit,” he added.