Rajdeep Kaur murder: Post-mortem report mentions multiple injuries on face

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, February 3

The post-mortem report of US-resident Rajdeep Kaur, who was allegedly murdered by her in-laws on the intervening night of January 19 and 20, mentions multiple injuries (contusions and abrasions) on her face and neck.

Thirteen days after death of Rajdeep Kaur, her family finally cremated her body on Friday (February 2) at their ancestral Khokhewal village in Bilga. Earlier, the family had expressed dissatisfaction over her post-mortem proceedings in their absence. The family took the decision to perform her last rites after the issue was resolved.

Nirmal Kaur, mother of Rajdeep Kaur, said, “Earlier, we had decided to get the post-mortem conducted again as we were not satisfied with the proceedings in our absence. But after going through the contents of the report, we were satisfied that the cause of her death had been truthfully mentioned in it.”

Child’s custody issue

Rajdeep’s family members have been seeking custody of her child. They met their six-year-old grandson briefly on Friday during her last rites. Rajdeep’s mother has also moved an application in a court regarding this. SHO, Sultanpur Lodhi, said, “The child was taken for his mother’s last rites and to meet his maternal grandparents on the court orders. He is now with his father’s relatives. The matter is pending in the court. The police will act as per court directions.”

The primary cause of her death has been stated to be “asphyxia as a result of smothering” as per the post-mortem report (a copy of which is with The Tribune). The report also mentions multiple injuries on her body including her upper eyelid, lower eyelid of the right eye, upper lip, lower lip and anterior neck.

As per the report there were total 10 injuries on her face. The report states that there was one injury due to “contusion present around her right eye”; two injuries of “scratch abrasion from the inner canthus of right eye extending upto nasal bridge”, four injuries of “mutiple scratch abrasions” on her neck measuring between “0.5 cm and 2 cm x .3 cm” and three injuries due to “contusion present over upper and lower lip”.

Rajdeep Kaur was allegedly murdered on the intervening night of January 19 and 20 at Nano Mallian village in Kapurthala. She with her six-year-old son had come to Kapurthala on January 12 on the insistence of her husband Manjinder Singh, who is still in the US. Rajdeep’s mother Nirmal Kaur alleged that it was her daughter’s property and affluence in the US which became the cause of her murder.

An FIR was registered against Rajdeep’s in-laws and her husband under Sections 302, 34 and 120-B of the IPC at the Sultanpur Lodhi police station on January 27.

Her in-laws — mother-in-law Daljit Kaur and father-in-law Jagdev Singh — were arrested by the Sultanpur Lodhi police on January 28. Her husband Manjinder Singh, who is in the US, was also booked and a Look Our Circular was issued against him by the Kapurthala police.

A 32-year-old transporter based in Stockton, California, the USA, Rajdeep owned a seven bedroom apartment and a fleet of cars. She also had trucks in her transportation business. Rajdeep had given a nursing exam in the US, result of which was due in two months.