Five family members including pregnant sister stabbed 85 times: What caused shocking massacre in Dehradun?

Crime News: In a shocking and heartbreaking incident, a young man named Harmeet brutally murdered five members of his own family, including his parents, pregnant sister, and three-year-old niece. The crime, which took place in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, involved Harmeet stabbing his family members 85 times. The High Court has reserved its decision on the death sentence for Harmeet, who was convicted of this gruesome crime in Adarshnagar, Dehradun. The case was recently heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Alok Kumar Verma. Harmeet had already been sentenced to death by the Sessions Court in Dehradun.

Night of horror

On the night of Diwali, October 23, 2014, Harmeet carried out the brutal murders. He killed his father, Jai Singh; his stepmother, Kulwant Kaur; his pregnant sister, Harjeet Kaur; and his three-year-old niece. Tragically, Harjeet’s unborn child also died in the attack. The police investigation revealed that Harmeet stabbed his victims 85 times, a fact confirmed by the medical report.

Motive behind murders

Harmeet’s motive for the massacre was rooted in family tensions and property disputes. His father, Jai Singh, had married twice, and Harmeet suspected that his father would transfer all his property to his step-sister. Fearing the loss of his inheritance, Harmeet decided to eliminate his family members. His pregnant sister, Harjeet, had come to her parental home for delivery, expecting to give birth on October 25. Unfortunately, she became one of the victims of this horrifying incident.

The sole survivor and key witness in this case was five-year-old Kamaljeet. Despite Harmeet’s attempt to kill him, Kamaljeet survived with a cut hand, which Harmeet inflicted to make the incident look like a theft gone wrong.

Judicial proceedings

After the murders, the police registered a case against Harmeet on October 24, 2014. The court of District and Sessions Judge (Fifth) Dehradun, Ashutosh Mishra, found Harmeet guilty and sentenced him to death on October 5, 2021. In addition to the death sentence, Harmeet was fined Rs 1 lakh. The case was then referred to the High Court to confirm the death sentence.