Teacher’s ‘abductor’ dead, mystery deepens

PK Jaiswar and Charanjit Singh Teja

 Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 21

Jazzinder Singh, the prime suspect in the mysterious disappearance of Sukhpreet Kaur Brar, an assistant professor at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), was found dead in a hotel room in a township in South Maharashtra on Wednesday. The Maharashtra police are treating it as a case of suicide.  “I am innocent,” Jazzinder wrote on a wall, also scribbling his phone number.

Jazzinder, alias Garry, belonged to Kharar in Mohali. His car was found abandoned 3 km from the hotel. 

Sukhpreet, who went missing on September 11, had left a note, stating she was going out to meet Garry, who owed her money, and that she feared she would be harmed. Four days later, her father approached the GNDU authorities after he received a letter demanding ‘ransom’ for her daughter’s release. Sukhpreet was allotted accomodation on the university premises. During a search of her room the police found a note, stating Garry was to be blamed if any harm was done to her.

“Had the police been proactive, it could have prevented Garry from fleeing Punjab,” said Sukhpreet’s brother Sukhdeep. He claimed the family had provided inputs to the police regarding Garry’s location as he was using Sukhpreet’s ATM card. “We managed to get details of the money withdrawn from different ATMs and also the CCTV footages of the ATM cabins. It’s strange that despite an inter-state alert, Garry managed to flee to Maharashtra unhindered,”

Sukhpreet had Rs 53,000 in her bank account. Her family deposited Rs 38,000 in two installments (Rs 20,000 and Rs 18,000 on September 15) in Garry’s account after he called from Sukhpreet’s cellphone, demanding a ransom of Rs 3 lakh.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations) Jagmohan Singh, denying any lapses, said his men had been on the job. Sukhpreet was last seen in a hotel in Subhanpur area. The police are combing the entire stretch from Subhanpur to Ropar. Divers too have been called.

Baldev Singh Virk, Garry’s father said: “Garry told us Sukhpreet had called him to Amritsar and that he would return soon. The following day (September 12), he phoned us to inform he was coming back. After that his phone went off.” He denied his son was a drug addict or that he was engaged.

Ropar connection

Ropar, September 21

Jazzinder Singh, alias Garry, arrived at his fiancee’s house in Nuhon Colony near Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant in a Honda car on September 12. A local resident close to the family claimed that Garry, posing as a trader, had taken nearly Rs 8  lakh from the family on the pretext of investing the money in some business. On September 14, he visited Gurdwara Tibbi Sahib with the family members. On September 15, along with  his fiancée, her sister and brother, he organised an outing. As they were leaving, a police party entered the colony gate. Garry stopped the car near the Ropar flyover and asked the occupants to get down. He said there was a police naka and he did not have the documents and that he would pick them up at the other end of the flyover. But he did not return. Ropar SSP Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu confirmed that Garry had dodged the  police on September 15. — Arun Sharma

Trace missing university teacher: NGO

Chandigarh: Under the banner of Bekhauf Azadi Movement, citizens have expressed concern over the alleged abduction of Dr Sukhpreet Kaur. Rajeev Godara, a social activist, said it was shocking that the police was trying to shrug off the matter on the plea that the teacher knew the man who had “abducted” her. “This is mere character assassination. Also, Dr Sukhpreet left a note, clearly stating that she perceived a threat from the ‘abductor’ who owed her money.” The organisation demanded that a hunt be launched for the missing teacher. —TNS

Joining the dots

Sept 11: Sukhpreet leaves university at 4.55 pm, reaches university market at 5.16 pm, leaves market with Garry at 5.25 pm. Garry withdraws Rs 4,000 from her account from an ATM in Beas

Sept 12: Garry withdraws Rs 40,000 from her account through at ATM in Nawanshahr

Sept 13: Rs 8,000 withdrawn from an ATM in Sector 7 in Chandigarh.

Sept 14: Rs 1,200 withdrawn from an ATM in Sector 40 in Chandigarh 

Sept 15: Rs 20,000 withdrawn from an ATM in Sector 70,  Mohali  

Sept 16: Rs 18,000 withdrawn from Patel Nagar in Delhi at 12.55 pm

Sept 17: Police locate footage of Garry crossing the Delhi-Jaipur toll plaza