Dancer ‘plotted’ ex-husband’s murder in Sangrur, 3 arrested

MALERKOTLA (SANGRUR): Police have arrested ex-wife of a man murdered in Malerkotla on December 27 last, for plotting and executing his killing with the help of her brother and his friend.

Victim Mohammad Saleem, 30, a resident of Rehmatgarh village, was allegedly murdered by his ex-wife Sonia, 35, who works as a dancer, her brother Boota Khan, 28, and his friend Manpreet Singh, 27, all residents of Hatthan village, police said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference here, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu said Saleem, who was also facing criminal cases, had been forcing Sonia to live with him again and threatened to kill her nine-year-old son if she would not agree. The boy was born out of her first marriage.

“Fearing that Saleem could actually kill her son, she planned his murder, which was executed with the support of her brother and his friend,” he said.

After recovering Saleem’s body near a drain, the police had earlier booked a man identified as Baba alias Jahid from Rehmatgarh village under Section 302 (murder) and 120 (conspiracy) at Sandhaur police station on the complaint of Saleem’s brother Mohammad Shahbaz, on December 28.

“However, after further investigations and scanning CCTV footage, police nabbed the real accused on Tuesday,” Sidhu added.

Police said Sonia got married with Saleem four years ago and separated two years back. She had worked as dancer in Dubai and was currently working in Bathinda area.

“The accused picked Saleem in a car and offered him liquor. When he was drunk, the trio murdered him with an ice-pick and the body was thrown near the drain,” said Sidhu.

VICTIM SALEEM HAD BEEN FORCING SONIA TO COME BACK TO HIM AND THREATENED TO KILL HER SON IF SHE WOULD NOT AGREE