Ludhiana, Punjab: What began as a hopeful journey for companionship ended in a gruesome tragedy when 71-year-old Rupinder Kaur Pandher, a US citizen of Indian origin, travelled to Punjab earlier this year in anticipation of marriage. Her story has now unfolded into a chilling tale of betrayal, greed, and a brutal murder orchestrated by the very man who promised her a new life.
Rupinder, originally from Punjab but settled in Seattle, had accepted a marriage proposal from 75-year-old Charanjit Singh Grewal, a UK-based NRI belonging to Mehma Singh Wala village in Ludhiana. The two had reportedly been in contact for several months, exchanging promises of companionship and plans for the future. Drawn by this prospect, Rupinder returned to India, where the couple spent time together visiting religious and tourist sites across Punjab. To those who saw them, it appeared as though they were preparing for marriage.
But beneath the surface, a sinister conspiracy was taking shape. In July, Rupinder travelled to Kila Raipur village at Grewal’s invitation. Shortly afterward, her phone went silent, and all communication with her family in the US ceased. Growing concerned, her sister Kamal Kaur Khairah filed a missing person complaint and alerted the US Embassy. What followed was a disturbing revelation that shocked both local residents and Rupinder’s family abroad.
Investigations revealed that Grewal, far from intending marriage, had plotted to eliminate Rupinder. Police say he promised ₹50 lakh to a local man, Sukhjeet Singh, alias Sonu, to carry out the killing. Sonu confessed that on the intervening night of July 12 and 13, he murdered Rupinder, set her body ablaze with diesel in the storeroom of his house, doused the remains with water, and disposed of them in a nearby drain. Partial skeletal remains were later recovered and sent for forensic testing.
The motive, investigators believe, was financial. Rupinder had transferred substantial sums of money to Grewal and his brother, convinced that the funds were intended for wedding expenses. Instead, the money became the lure in a cold-blooded plot that ended her life. Police have since registered an FIR against Grewal and his brother, both of whom remain absconding, while efforts continue to bring them to justice.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Harjinder Singh Gill described the crime as a shocking violation of trust, saying, “This case is not just a murder but a horrifying betrayal of human decency.” For Rupinder’s family, what was meant to be a new beginning has become a painful reminder of how love and trust were exploited in the most cruel manner.
