The 2024 murder of Indian-origin Gurjit Singh in New Zealand finally found its closure after his former boss, Rajinder, was found guilty of the murder. DNA evidence linked Rajinder to Gurjit Singh’s murder, to which Rajinder had not pleaded guilty, and in fact, his lawyer contested that he had no motive to kill Singh. But Rajinder’s blood and hair evidence were found at the murder scene and Rajinder even bought a murder kit before the gruesome killing in the night of January 28. The apparent motive goes back a long time and involves Gurjit Singh’s wife, who, at the time of the murder, was in India and was getting ready to live with her husband in New Zealand. According to reports, the wife, Kamaljeet Kaur, rejected a marriage proposal with Rajinder through a marriage broker in 2022. A year later, Kaur agreed to marry Singh. Rajinder even approached Singh for marrying Singh’s sister but Singh rejected it saying she was too young. The Crown said these rejections were Rajinder’s motive for murdering Singh. Rajinder’s lawyers, however, contested that he was not upset to find out that Kamaljeet married Singh.
From pizza party to a pool of blood
On January 28, 2024, Singh had a pizza party with his friends before going on a three-day trip with his wife who was coming to New Zealand from India. At 10.30 pm, Singh left the party. One of the friends told the court that he received multiple panicked messages from a mutual friend that Singh could not be reached. The friend went to Singh’s place and found him lying in a pool of blood. Police said Singh had been stabbed over 40 times and was partially decapitated.”Rajinder had killed my son and I know this is not going to bring my son back, but at least … he was found guilty,” Singh’s father said after Rajinder was found guilty. Rajinder’s sentencing would be given in April next year.