Amritsar, June 7: A missing 66-year-old Australian citizen of Punjabi origin was murdered in Amritsar over an alleged property dispute, regional law enforcement officials confirmed on Sunday. The deceased, identified as Melbourne-based mathematics teacher Sunil Sharma, had been missing since May 22 after returning to Punjab to oversee residential renovations and manage real estate matters.
Amritsar Rural Police have taken multiple suspects into custody, including the victim’s brother, Sunny Sharma, who has been named the prime suspect in the homicide. Prior to the arrests, investigators noted that the suspect and his immediate family had absconded from their local residence. Municipal records further indicate that the prime suspect was already being sought by law enforcement agencies in neighboring Himachal Pradesh for an active case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The high-profile disappearance gained traction across international media outlets and the global Punjabi diaspora after the victim’s mobile device went offline on the day of his arrival. The investigation intensified following an emotional video appeal directed to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann by the victim’s daughter, Surbhi Sharma, who requested high-level state intervention to track her father.
While the police department initially registered a formal kidnapping case when the tracking signal was lost, the legal framework is being upgraded to a formal murder charge. Higher-ranking officers stated that exact details regarding the location of the victim’s remains, full motive, and co-conspirator identities will be delivered in an upcoming briefing by the Senior Superintendent of Police.
Family representatives stated that the abrupt loss of communication caused immediate distress among relatives based in Melbourne. They maintained that the victim traveled to the region solely to finish painting his house and handle pending property files.
“Sunil Sharma had come to Amritsar to take care of the painting work of his house and in connection with a property-related matter,” a source close to the investigation asserted. “His sudden disappearance had spread concern among family members living in Australia.”
Law enforcement representatives affirmed that forensic units are processing recovered material to build a watertight case against the detained individuals.
“Initially, a case of kidnapping was registered after Sunil Sharma went missing,” an investigating officer declared. “Now after the police confirmed the murder and arrested the accused, the case will be converted into murder.”
