The body of a 32-year-old makeup artist, Geet Brar, associated with the Punjabi film industry was found dumped at Rajpura near here with bullet injuries on her head and neck, the police said today. The body of was found last night.
Brar, who hailed from Moga, was living in a rented accommodation in Chandigarh. She left her residence with an unidentified man on Tuesday, police said. They added that three shots were fired at her from close range, probably with a revolver, and did not rule out contract killing.
The police today arrested cinematographer Manjit Singh Thind for allegedly murdering her over a financial dispute.
Geet came in contact with Thind (38), a resident of Rajpura, during her foreign assignments.
“Thind shot dead Geet at a secluded place in Focal Point, Rajpura,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) S Bhupathi.
“The accused needed money to buy a camera. So, he approached Geet one-and-a-half years ago, assuring her of good returns. She agreed to pool Rs 6 lakh. Later, Thind refused to share the earnings from the shootings. She demanded Rs 26 lakh from him two days before her murder,” Bhupathi said.
On October 31, Thind called Geet on the pretext of repaying her money by withdrawing it from his bank account in Cheeka, Kaithal.
The cinematographer took her on his motorcycle to Samana and then returned to Rajpura via Patiala. “Once they reached a secluded place when it was dark, Manjit fired three shots from his licensed .32-bore revolver and returned home,” said Shaminder Singh, SHO, Banur.
Geet, who lived in a rented accommodation in Chandigarh, had left with an unidentified man on Tuesday at 5 pm and her mobile phone was switched off after 5.30 pm.
Sources said her call records brought out that she was in touch with Thind and they had a few recent conversations. “On being interrogated, he confessed to the crime,” they said.
Thind has shot some films and private video albums. He had recently returned from Australia and South Korea.
The police investigation, meanwhile, is silent about Geet’s complaint against a prominent sweet shop owner in Sector 41, Chandigarh. She had accused him of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.
