Relative, his friend arrested for AIG mother’s murder

Police on Thursday cracked the case involving the murder of 80-year-old mother of additional inspector general (AIG) Sareen Kumar Prabhakar and arrested a family relative and his friend.

Sheela Rani Prabhakar was strangulated to death after robbery in her house at Dakoha locality near Rama Mandi in Jalandhar on September 17. A case was registered at the Rama Mandi police station.

The accused have been identified as Shivam Sharma (23), the son of the victim’s niece, and Karan Kumar (20), both residents of Dakoha. Police have also recovered looted ornaments including a gold bangle, a ring and earrings from them.

“Circumstantial evidence hinted at the involvement of someone close to the family. After a reliable tip-off, police arrested the two from the Jalandhar Cantonment railway station, and they have confessed to having committed the crime,” said police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.

Bhullar said during interrogation, Shivam said his maternal grandmother (Sheela) used to complain to his mother about his drug addiction and he was even sent to a de-addiction centre.

“Since Shivam needed money to buy drugs and also wanted to teach her a lesson, he and Karan scaled the wall of the victim’s house and entered her room on the intervening night of September 16 and 17. Shivam used a pillow to strangulate her to death,” Bhullar said.

Shivam is unemployed while Karan works in a private laboratory, police said, adding that the two will be produced in court.

AIG Sareen Prabhakar is posted at the Punjab Armed Police (PAP), Jalandhar, his brother is also in the state police.