Double murder: Police rule out involvement of politician

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 12

Even after the elapsing of six days, the police are yet to make any breakthrough in connection with the brutal murder of a woman and her daughter. The police today ruled out the involvement of a political leader who, allegedly, was in a relationship with her.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Jagjit Singh Walia said though efforts were being made to crack the case, the police hadn’t got any clue.

Gagan Verma (45) and her daughter Shivnaini (20) were found murdered at their residence in Darshan Avenue near the Golden Gate in Amritsar in the early hours of Tuesday (February 6). Before fleeing, the killers set the house on fire in a bid to burn the bodies and destroy the evidence. The matter came to light when a neighbour called the fire brigade.

Gagan’s body was charred while her daughter’s body was burnt partially. As Shivnaini’s hands were tied and her body was half naked, the police as well as her kin suspect that the duo may have been raped by the killers before being murdered.

Earlier, the police were trying to find out if a political leader, said to be close to the woman, had anything to do with the murders? SHO Neeraj Kumar said his name was unnecessarily being dragged into the case. “Investigation carried out so far hasn’t hinted towards his role,” he said.

He said the police were awaiting the autopsy report to ascertain how the two had been killed and if they had been raped. The postmortem examination report would hopefully come in a day or two, the SHO added.

Autopsy report in a day or two

• Gagan Verma (45) and her daughter Shivnaini (20) were murdered on February 6 in their house. 
• Their autopsy report is expected in a day or two. It will help the police ascertain if the victims were raped before being murdered. 
• Even six days after the case, the police haven't got any clue of the killers.