Chandigarh, Oct 6 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday sought the intervention of the External Affairs Minister for impressing upon the US government to conduct a thorough probe into the gruesome murder of a Punjabi family in California.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said it is unfortunate that a Punjabi family hailing from the Harsi village of Hoshiarpur district in the state have been murdered in California.
He said that as per reports the family was kidnapped and was brutally murdered later on. Mann said the deceased have been identified as Jasdeep Singh, Jasleen Kaur, Amandeep Singh and an eight-month-old baby Ruhi.
Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said the bodies of 36-year-old Jasdeep Singh, 27-year-old Jasleen Kaur, their eight-month-old child Aroohi Dheri and the baby's uncle, 39-year-old Amandeep Singh were found on Wednesday evening in an orchard near Indiana Road & Hutchinson Road.
Warnke said that a farm worker near the orchard found the bodies and immediately contacted authorities.
All of the bodies were found close together.
The Chief Minister said this is a highly condemnable incident which has shocked everyone, especially the Punjabis living across the globe.
Mann said this brutal murder has raised questions on security of the Punjabis even in advanced nations like the US.
Seeking the intervention of the Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, he urged him to "impress upon the national government of the US to thoroughly conduct a probe into the matter".
The Chief Minister said that it is the need of hour to instil sense of security amongst the Punjabis living abroad.
He said the Government of India must flag the issue of security of Punjabis living in the US with their counterpart in America.
Mann said the top most priority must be accorded to this for ensuring safety of the Punjabis living there.
