Melbourne: Australian authorities on Thursday
arrested a couple in connection with the killing of an Indian,
whose partially burnt body was found dumped by the side of a
road in the New South Wales Riverina in December last year.
A 23-year-old man and his 20-year-old wife, who have
not been identified, were arrested at two addresses in Sans
Souci in Sydney`s south just after 11 am today, police said.
Victim Ranjodh Singh`s body was found beside Wilga
Road, Willbriggie, near Griffith, on December 29. 25-year-old
Singh was last seen on the streets of Griffith three nights
before his body was found.
He had recently moved to Wagga Wagga but was staying
in Griffith to pick pumpkins and was living in a shared house
with other farm workers from India.
The media reports here said it is understood that
Singh joined a group of friends for pizza at Eagle Boys on the
last night he was seen.
One of his friends had been around town longer than
Singh - who arrived in Australia a little more than a year ago
- and had set himself up as a contractor. He befriended Singh
and employed him. The group finished their pizza and went to a
party at a nearby flat.
They drank grappa and celebrated the birthday of one
of the men, but there was tension in the air and some time
before midnight a fight broke out, though it is not known who
was involved.
There was friction because one of the group, the
contractor, is thought to have owed a handful of pickers,
including Singh, ASD 9000.
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Police have not revealed the cause of his death.
Singh`s aunt Sarita Sarita said her nephew was a gentle,
friendly man. He left behind a wife, Kanchan, who was studying
cookery in Melbourne.
An ABC report quoted police officials as saying that
Department of Immigration officials took part in today`s
operation and spoke to several people inside a San Souci home.
Detectives allege the arrested couple knew Singh well
and worked with him on farms in the region.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said a racial
motive for the killing has been ruled out.
"We will allege that the persons taken into custody
this morning and the victim Singh were well known to each
other," he said, adding "We will allege that while Singh was a
resident of Wagga, he and the people taken into custody worked
there as seasonal workers, picking fruit."
Police said they expect to charge the couple with
murder and indicated that another arrest was possible.
They want to speak to the driver of a red ford falcon
which was seen at a car wash in Griffith at 3 a.m. on December
29.
PTI
