Mohali hotelier shoots wife in car after spat

Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 18 

A 60-year-old man, who owns a hotel, shot dead his 62-year-old wife in a car following a spat near Manav Mangal Smart School, Phase X, here this morning.

The suspect, Nirankar Singh Sarao, who runs Sarao Hotel at Phase X, pumped all six bullets of his licenced .32-bore revolver into the temple and neck of his wife, Kulwant Kaur, at point-blank range when she was about to leave the car following a tiff with him. She died on the spot. 

The couple was on their way to the PGI, Chandigarh, in the car of the general manager of their hotel at around 9.30 am when the incident occurred. The couple was putting up on the first floor of the hotel. 

According to the police, following a tiff, Nirankar parked the car on the roadside just opposite the school and then shot dead his wife. 

According to the police, after shooting his wife, Nirankar himself called up the Police Control Room and informed the officer about the incident. 

A PCR team, which immediately reached the spot, found Nirankar lying on the roadside. He was arrested and the body sent to the nearby private hospital. The police impounded the car and recovered the revolver lying in it.

During preliminary interrogation, Nirankar confessed that he was being pressured by his wife and in-laws to shift to London (UK) after disposing of all his property here. 

The couple’s both children, daughter Amanpreet Kaur (39) and son Navpreet Singh (36), have settled in the UK. 

The couple got married in 1977.  Kulwant had dual citizenship of India and England.  

Inspector Amarpreet Singh, station house officer of Phase XI, said Nirankar did not want to leave India. “The couple used to fight every now and then for that reason,” said the SHO. He added that the couple had filed an application for separation in the court around six months ago.

“The suspect is a heart patient,” said Amarpreet, adding that Nirankar used to carry his revolver along most of the time. 

Earlier in the morning, Nirankar called up the general manager of his hotel, Aneesh Sharma, at around 8 am and asked him to send his Mercedes car for service and lend him his (Aneesh) Indigo car to go to the PGI.  Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Aneesh said Nirankar sounded normal. “Madam (the victim) had breakfast before leaving the hotel,” said Sharma. 

Kulwant had here from the UK two weeks ago, said the general manager. The police have registered a case under Section 302, IPC, and relevant sections of the Arms Act. 

“We have informed the children of the couple about the incident. They are coming here,” said the police. The suspect would be produced before the court tomorrow.

About the couple

• The victim, Kulwant Kaur, had arrived in India from the UK just two weeks ago.
• Nirankar confessed that he was being pressured by his wife and in-laws to shift to London (UK) after disposing of all his property here.
• The couple had filed an application for separation in the court around six months ago.
• Nirankar used to carry his licensed revolver along most of the time.
• The couple’s both children, daughter Amanpreet Kaur (39) and son Navpreet Singh (36), have settled in the UK.