Home > News > Report

UK girl's murder: Suspect 'posing as a holy man'

July 14, 2004 10:35 IST

The parents of murdered British teenager Hannah Foster suspect that their daughter's killer is hiding in a temple posing as a holy man, according London's The Times newspaper.

However, the Punjab police are not so sure. Assistant Inspector General of Police Mann Singh told the newspaper, "We have no concrete information about him disguising as a sadhu. He could be hiding anywhere as anyone."

Maninder Pal Singh Kohli, a truck driver by profession, is suspected of having abducted the Fosters' 17-year-old daughter Hannah in London in March 2003.

Hannah's body was found in Elington Lane two days after she went missing. A post-mortem revealed that Hannah was raped before being killed. Kohli left the United Kingdom after this incident and is believed to be living in his native Punjab.

Also Read


UK couple offers Rs 50 lakh for info on murder suspect


Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday, the victim's father Trevor Foster said, "He was traced to his family home in Punjab but before Indian police were authorised to secure an arrest, he fled from there at the end of March 2003. There has been no trace of him since."

The British police has announced a reward of Rs 45 lakh for information leading to Kohli's arrest while The Sun daily has offered another Rs 500,000.

"We believe that someone, somewhere, must have information that could help us locate Kohli. If you have seen this man, if you know where he is currently living or working, or if you know someone who might have this information, please, please, come forward," Trevor, who broke down several times during the conference he addressed along with his wife Hilary, said.

The phone numbers to give any information:
1600-12-1233 (from BSNL network)
0124-5047848 (for other subscribers)
0800-0329937 (for callers from England)

Hampshire police have visited India twice, but their main suspect still cannot be traced for which the Indian police blame the British officers. They say Hampshire detectives refused to tell them that Maninder Pal Singh Kohli fled to India shortly after the 17-year-old went missing.

By the time they were informed, Kohli had left his family home in Punjab after allegedly being tipped off by his wife in Southampton that he was a wanted man.

Article Tools
Email this article
Top emailed links
Print this article
Write us a letter
Discuss this article




Related Stories


Yonus murder: 3 cops surrender









More reports from Punjab










Copyright © 2004 rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved.