Property dealer held for wife's murder

NEW DELHI: A 36-year-old property dealer has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife after she refused to let him meet their children because of his drug addiction.
The accused has been identified as Harpal Singh. He allegedly attacked his wife, Jaspreet Kaur (25), with a cleaver outside her beauty parlour on February 19 when she was leaving for home. Harpal was arrested on Monday on a tip-off from his mother.The couple had quarrelled over this issue and had been living separately for the past three months.
"We received a call on Sunday regarding assault on a lady at Saya Beauty Parlour in Rani Bagh. Around 7.30pm, Jaspreet Kaur was attacked by her husband with a cleaver in the presence of an eyewitness, who informed police," said Romil Baaniya, additional DCP (northwest).
"The victim was rushed to Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital from where she was referred to AIIMS Trauma Centre. Jaspreet Kaur succumbed to her injuries the next morning at the AIIMS Trauma Centre," said Baaniya, additional DCP (northwest).
"On Monday, Harpal's mother informed police that he was at the house of a cousin in Nihal Vihar. She also gave them the address. Harpal Singh was arrested and was still in the blood-stained clothes,'' said Baaniya.
During interrogation Harpal confessed to the crime, said police. He also told police that he and Jaspreet were dating in school and she had married him against the wishes of her family.
"He said sometime back, he got into bad company and became an alcoholic and drug addict. To get money for the drugs he took to crime and had even kidnapped his own cousin in 2009. His wife wanted him to give up such habits and friends. She often rebuked him and they often quarrelled over this before she moved out of the house,'' said Baaniya.
Cops said on Sunday evening, Harpal went to his wife's beauty parlour with a cleaver hidden in his jacket.
Initially, he asked her to forgive him and once she was off her guard, he suddenly took out the cleaver and struck six fatal blows on her face and neck.