Husband of dancer killed at wedding dies in suspicious circumstances

The Punjab Police on Wednesday launched investigation into the mysterious death of the husband of a dancer who was shot dead at a wedding function in Punjab's Bathinda district in December last year.

Police officials in Malout town in south-west Punjab, 290 km from here, said that the death of Rajinder Singh, 26, was being investigated and his body was sent for the post-mortem examination.

The move by the police follows allegations by Rajinder's family that he was murdered by his in-laws.

Singh was the husband of dancer Kulwinder Kaur, 25, who was killed when a drunk man shot her dead at a marriage function in Maur Mandi town on December 3.

The dancer was part of an orchestra and dance group which used to perform at weddings and other functions.

"We got a call from Rajinder's in-laws around 2.30 a.m. asking us to rush to Malout, saying that Rajinder had fallen unconscious. On reaching there, we found him dead," Sukhdev Singh said in his complaint to the police.

Sukhdev alleged that Rajinder's in-laws reached a compromise with the man accused of shooting Kulwinder at the December 3 wedding ceremony. He had offered money to settle the murder case of the dancer.

"Rajinder had refused to take the money. They (in-laws) had agreed to compromise in Kulwinder's killing case by taking the money being offered," Sukhdev alleged.

Police officer Jagdish Singh said that Rajinder's body was sent to the local government hospital for the post-mortem examination.

The police had registered a case of murder and booked four people, including the alleged killer, the marriage palace owner and two friends of the main accused.

Kulwinder, who was reportedly two months pregnant when she was shot, fell on the stage even as her colleagues of orchestra troupe continued their performance.

Carrying of weapons is banned under law during marriage functions and at marriage palaces.

--IANS

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