Punjab man arrested for killing teen girl, burns body in suitcase to hide crime

A 23-year-old man has been arrested in Punjab for allegedly murdering a 15-year-old girl, placing her body in a suitcase and setting it on fire in a forest area to destroy evidence, police said.

The victim, the daughter of a woman from Nawanshahr, had been missing since May 29. During the investigation, police identified Gurwinder Singh alias Gurpreet Gopa as the prime suspect. Officials said he was in a relationship with the girl's mother, and the teenager reportedly opposed the relationship.

According to police, the accused allegedly strangled the girl when he found her alone at her rented accommodation. He then transported the body in a suitcase on a motorcycle to a forest near Khuralgarh village in Hoshiarpur district, where he allegedly set it on fire.

Following his confession, police recovered charred skeletal remains believed to be those of the victim. The accused has been arrested, and the remains have been sent for forensic examination. Further investigation is underway.