SerpApi.Org
A young married couple was found hanging from a tree in a forest in northern India, sparking claims from their devastated families that they were raped and murdered, rather than taking their own lives.
Satvinder Singh and his wife, Amandeep Kaur, who had been married for around six months, were discovered dead in the woods near Premnagar in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh on July 17. Amandeep, originally from Pyari Bas Shekhpur village in Alwar district, Rajasthan, was three months pregnant at the time of her death.
The pair had been traveling together on a motorbike the previous evening after telling relatives they were going to nearby Kotdwar to get Satvinder's mobile phone repaired. According to the family, Satvinder had been staying at his in-laws' home for around two weeks before traveling to Bijnor on July 15 to bring Amandeep back with him.
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The couple set off by motorbike on July 16 and never returned.
Relatives said Satvinder's phone screen had been damaged, and he had asked his father, Magar Singh, to transfer 3,000 rupees (approximately $30) through Paytm so he could get it fixed.
The two spoke after the money was sent, but when the couple failed to come home that night and both phones went unreachable, the family raised the alarm with local police.
The following day, a local resident spotted a motorbike abandoned by the roadside near Premnagar, with a woman's handbag hanging from it and the key still in the ignition.
He alerted both the police and the family after recognizing the vehicle, prompting a search of the surrounding forest.
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Officers found the bodies of the couple hanging from a tree at around 1 a.m. According to the family, Amandeep was found suspended by Satvinder's turban, while Satvinder was hanging from his wife's dupatta. Their damaged mobile phone was recovered at the scene.
The family strongly disputes that the deaths were suicides. They claim the branch the bodies were found hanging from was too low and too thin to have supported a hanging, and allege that both victims had their hands bound.
They also point to the bodies' bent knees as evidence of foul play. The family further alleges that Amandeep had injuries consistent with sexual assault before her death, and that Satvinder's body showed multiple severe injuries, which they believe suggest both were attacked before dying.
They also say jewelry, cash, and other belongings were found untouched at the scene, which they believe rules out robbery as a motive, and claim the couple's phone had been smashed by whoever was responsible before they fled.
The bodies were taken to Naugaon Community Health Centre on Saturday for a post mortem examination. Family members and local residents said they believed the deaths were suspicious and called for a thorough and independent investigation, along with a second post-mortem.
Naugaon police station chief Hardayal Singh Yadav traveled to the hospital with officers and assured the family that the case would be investigated in line with proper procedure. However, the family declined to allow a second post-mortem and took the bodies back to their village, where the couple was later cremated.
Friends said Satvinder had been working toward his degree and that his family had high hopes for his future.
Both families reportedly had been delighted by the news of Amandeep's pregnancy and were preparing for the arrival of the couple's first child.
Police inquiries into the deaths are ongoing.
