Punjab Newsline | Ludhiana
A 23-year-old Punjabi woman from Punjab's Ludhiana district has died after allegedly being strangled by her live-in partner in Edmonton, Canada. Canadian police have arrested the accused, a 22-year-old man from Delhi, and charged him with second-degree murder.
The victim, identified as Damanpreet Kaur, was a resident of Lal Kalan village near Samrala in Ludhiana. According to her family, she had moved to Canada on a study visa around five years ago after her father, a granthi (scripture reader) at a gurdwara, sold family land to finance her education abroad.
During her studies, Damanpreet reportedly met Ritesh Kumar in 2021. The two later entered a live-in relationship, although the exact duration of their cohabitation has not been disclosed.
According to the Edmonton Police Service, officers responded to an emergency call from a residence in the Silver Berry neighbourhood at 6:44 p.m. on July 9. When police and paramedics arrived, Damanpreet was found unconscious and was immediately taken to a local hospital.
Despite medical treatment, she succumbed to her injuries on July 12. An autopsy conducted on July 14 concluded that her death was caused by strangulation and was not due to natural causes.
Following the investigation, the Edmonton Police Service's Homicide Unit arrested Ritesh Kumar on July 22. He has been charged with second-degree murder.
Police have classified the case as an intimate partner homicide and confirmed that they are not seeking any additional suspects in connection with the investigation.
