Cops debunk Chandigarh murder theory

Chandigarh Police claimed on Friday Gurbal Kaur (not Ajinder Kaur, as reported on Thursday), the 76-year-old mother-in-law of officiating Punjab advocate general Rupinder Khosla, might have died a natural death since there were no signs of strangulation or evidence of sexual assault.

Gurbal was found dead in her upscale sector 21 house on Thursday and the police had initially suspected murder and rape.

But senior superintendent of police Naunihal Singh said on Friday post-mortem revealed no visible injury marks on her body, which was decomposed.

“This indicates that she might have died a natural death,” he said.

Moreover, the SSP said, the house had not been broken into.

The police have nevertheless detained two labourers who whitewashed her house in December on suspicion.

“The viscera report will come in about two weeks, which might help us detect the exact cause of the death,” a senior police officer said.

Gurbal was found dead by her daughter Mohanmeet, wife of Rupinder Khosla, who had come visiting with her daughter Inayat, who, incidentally, was celebrating her 19th birthday. Inayat, who had come from the US, was scheduled to return on Saturday.