Punjab Newsline | Gurdaspur
A 40-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter were allegedly murdered by the woman's husband in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, police said. The accused reportedly fled after locking the main gate of the house from outside, leaving the bodies inside.
The incident came to light when the deceased woman's brother arrived at the residence to meet her. Finding the main gate locked, he broke the lock and entered the house, where he discovered the bodies of his sister, Babli (40), and her daughter Tamanna (12) lying near the staircase in a pool of blood.
Police were immediately informed and rushed to the scene. During the preliminary investigation, officers found deep cut marks on the necks of both victims, while Babli had also sustained injuries to her head. The bodies were later sent for post-mortem examination.
According to family members, the accused husband, identified as Jaswinder Masih, had allegedly been abusing drugs and frequently demanded money for narcotics. Relatives alleged that he often assaulted his wife when she refused to give him money.
Babli's brother, Vijay, claimed that his niece had called him the previous night and informed him about a dispute at home. Concerned for their safety, he visited the house the following morning, where he made the shocking discovery.
Police teams from Civil Lines Police Station and the emergency response unit reached the rented house in Friends Colony, Batala, and conducted an investigation at the crime scene.
Vijay accused Jaswinder Masih of murdering both his sister and niece. He alleged that the accused was unemployed, addicted to drugs, and regularly subjected the victims to physical abuse. The family said Jaswinder had earlier lived in Kairowal village before moving to a rented accommodation in Friends Colony, Batala.
Batala DSP Sukhinder Singh said a murder case has been registered against Jaswinder Masih based on the statements of the victim's family members. Police have launched a search operation to trace and arrest the accused.
