Indian nursing student in Australia buried alive by boyfriend in horrific 'act of vengeance'
Melbourne, Jul 6: In a horrific act of vengeance, a 21-year-old Indian nursing student in Australia was abducted by her jilted ex-boyfriend from India, driven nearly 650 km and buried alive in South Australia state's remote Flinders Ranges, a court has heard.
Jasmeen Kaur from Adelaide City was killed by Tarikjot Singh in March 2021, a month after reporting him to the police for stalking.
Kaur was abducted from her workplace on March 5, 2021, and driven more than 400 miles (644 km) while bound with cable ties in the boot of a car Singh had borrowed from his flatmate, news.com.au portal and other websites reported on Wednesday.
He buried Kaur in a shallow grave after making "superficial" cuts to her throat which were not enough to kill her and she was aware of her surroundings when she died at some point on March 6.
Singh pleaded guilty to the murder but the horrific details of his crime came to light during sentencing submissions at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Carmen Matteo said the murder was "not efficient" and Kaur was "made to suffer".
"She had to have been consciously suffering what could only be described as the absolute terror of breathing in and swallowing soil and dying in that way," Matteo said.
Kaur's family, including her mother, were in the court to hear the sentencing submissions.
The court heard Singh planned the killing because he was unable to get over the breakdown of their relationship.
"The way in which Kaur was killed involved, really, an uncommon level of cruelty," Matteo said.
"It's not known when her throat was cut, it's not known when or how she got into or was placed into that burial grave, and it's not known when that was dug, other than the prosecution says it had to have been while she was still alive and in preparation for her burial.
"[It was] a killing that was committed as an act of vengeance or as an act of revenge," she said.
Singh wrote several messages to Kaur in the lead-up to her death that he never ended up sending.
"Your bad luck that I am still alive, cheap, wait and watch, will get the answer, each and every single one will get the answer," one message said.
Singh initially denied murder, saying Kaur had committed suicide and that he had buried the body, but pleaded guilty before he was due to stand trial earlier this year.
He took officers to her burial site where they found Kaur's shoes, glasses, and work name badge in a bin, alongside looped cable ties.
He was caught on CCTV hours before the murder at a Bunnings in Mile End buying gloves, cable ties, and a shovel.
He faces a mandatory life sentence, with the court to impose a non-parole period next month.
His lawyer wants him to be given a more merciful sentence, partly because they labelled it a "crime of passion".
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Know everything about Atishi Marlena, set to become Delhi's next Chief Minister
New Delhi: Atishi Marlena Singh is poised to take over as Delhi’s next Chief Minister, following her selection as the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) top candidate. The decision was made at a legislative meeting held at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia backing her nomination. This transition comes amid speculation that Kejriwal, a former IRS officer, may soon tender his resignation to the Lieutenant Governor.
The timing of Atishi's appointment is notable, coinciding with the approaching state elections in Delhi. Kejriwal had recently vowed to step down, promising not to assume office again unless the people of Delhi deemed him to be "honest."
Born on June 8, 1981, Atishi is the daughter of professors Tripta Wahi and Vijay Singh. Her middle name "Marlena" is said to be a blend of the names of Marx and Lenin. However, in 2018, ahead of the elections, Atishi decided to drop the middle name in public life, choosing to go simply by "Atishi."
Atishi's educational background is distinguished. After completing her schooling at Springdales School, New Delhi, she graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in history from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. She later attended Oxford University, where she earned her master's degree in history, supported by a Chevening fellowship. In 2005, Atishi furthered her studies at Oxford's Magdalen College as a Rhodes scholar.
Atishi’s political career with AAP began in 2013, and she has played a key role in shaping the party’s policies. She was also part of the well-known Jal Satyagraha in Madhya Pradesh in 2015, lending support to AAP leader Alok Agarwal.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Atishi ran against BJP’s Gautam Gambhir in the East Delhi constituency but lost by a margin of 4.5 lakh votes. In the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, she contested from the Kalkaji constituency and defeated BJP candidate Dharambir Singh by 11,000 votes.
Following the arrest of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with an excise policy case, Atishi assumed greater responsibilities within the party. In 2023, she was appointed as the Minister for Education, PWD, Culture, and Tourism in the Delhi government. Prior to that, she served as an advisor to Sisodia on educational matters from 2015 to 2018.
Atishi is widely praised for her contributions to transforming Delhi’s education system. She has played a pivotal role in upgrading infrastructure in government schools, forming school management committees, and curbing unjust fee hikes in private institutions. Her innovative "happiness" curriculum, which focuses on the emotional and mental well-being of students, is another notable achievement.
