NRI murdered in Amritsar; Brother arrested over Rs 4-crore property dispute
Babushahi Bureau
Amritsar (Punjab), June 6, 2026: An Australian NRI who had travelled to Amritsar to oversee his property and undertake renovation work was allegedly murdered by his own brother in a case linked to a multi-crore property dispute, Punjab Police said on Saturday.
The victim, identified as Sunil Sharma (66), had arrived in Amritsar from Australia to look after his properties and carry out repair and painting work at his residence.
He went missing on May 22, prompting his family to launch a search campaign. His daughter had also released a video appeal seeking information about his whereabouts.
Addressing a press conference, Amritsar SSP Kanwalpreet Singh said police investigations revealed that Sharma was allegedly drugged with sleeping pills before being attacked with a baseball bat and killed. Following the murder, the accused allegedly attempted to destroy evidence and disposed of the body in a canal near Harike.
Police have arrested the victim's brother, Satish Sharma, in connection with the crime. According to investigators, the murder was allegedly motivated by an ongoing dispute over family properties worth several crores of rupees.
The SSP said a missing person case was initially registered under relevant legal provisions. However, as the investigation progressed, police uncovered evidence suggesting a premeditated conspiracy linked to property ownership and sale transactions.
Preliminary findings indicate that several properties belonging to Sunil Sharma had allegedly been sold earlier using forged power of attorney documents. Investigators are also examining transactions involving properties in Amritsar and a disputed property in Mohali reportedly valued at more than ₹4 crore.
The victim's body has been recovered near a canal in the Harike area, and further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud and conspiracy behind the murder.