In a horrific crime that has sent shockwaves through Ludhiana, a 30-year-old man was found brutally murdered and his body cut into six pieces inside a vacant plot near Jalandhar Bypass. The victim, identified as Davinder, a resident of Bhora village, was involved in digital printing work in Mumbai.
Gruesome Discovery by Rag Pickers
The grisly scene was uncovered on the morning of Thursday, January 8, 2026, when some rag pickers chanced upon a white-coloured drum in the empty plot. One of them, intending to keep the drum, opened it only to discover a severed human head inside. The plot of the gruesome discovery is located barely three kilometres away from Davinder's own house.
Police were immediately alerted. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP-I) Sameer Verma stated that the victim's head was stuffed inside the drum, while five other body parts—both arms, legs, and parts of the abdomen—were found scattered separately at a distance of about 500 metres from it. "There were some burn marks on the limbs, which indicates that the accused may have tried to burn the body; however, the burn injuries were not deep," Verma added.
CCTV Footage Nabs the Accused
The police investigation quickly zeroed in on the victim's movements. Davinder had come to Ludhiana around 2:15 pm on January 6 to purchase digital printing machines. He left his house, telling family he was going to meet a friend and would return soon, but never did. After failed attempts to locate him, his family filed a missing person's complaint with Salem Tabri police.
The probe revealed that Davinder had gone to the house of his friend, Shamsher Singh Shera, in the same locality. Crucially, footage from a CCTV camera installed near Shera's house captured him and his wife, Kuldeep Kaur, carrying the same white drum on their motorcycle. "A murder case was registered against Shamsher Singh Shera and his wife Kuldeep Kaur. The motive behind the murder would be ascertained after the arrest of the accused," said ADCP Verma.
Family's Suspicion and a False Alibi
Davinder's cousin, Hemraj, provided critical details that exposed the accused's lies. The family knew Davinder was likely with Shera, as they were close friends. "We called Shera to ask about Davinder's whereabouts. Shera said Davinder came to his house to borrow his bike, but he refused to give it to him. Shera said Davinder stayed for a few minutes and left. Initially, we believed Shera," Hemraj told reporters.
Growing suspicious when Shera's house was found locked, the family checked the CCTV footage themselves. The footage showed Davinder entering Shera's house around 2:45 pm on January 6 and never exiting. By midnight, Shera and his wife were seen carrying the white drum out on their bike, returning empty-handed a few minutes later. They made two to three more rounds on the bike afterwards.
On a possible motive, Hemraj suggested, "Shera, who is a carpenter, is also involved in drug peddling. Davinder would also consume drugs once in a while. There is a possibility that they had some issue over drugs or money." Davinder is survived by his wife and a seven-month-old daughter.
A Disturbing Pattern of Violence in Ludhiana
This murder adds to a series of brutal body-dumping incidents in and around Ludhiana in recent times:
- January 6, 2026: A burnt body, chopped into two parts, was found in an open field in Khwajke village. It remains unidentified.
- September 2025: A decomposed body with sharp weapon injuries was discovered in a pond at Khatra village.
- July 2025: A woman's body was dumped in a sack beside Ferozepur Road.
- June 2025: The decomposed body of an unidentified man was found inside a blue plastic drum in Sherpur.
- April 2024: A man's body, chopped into six pieces, was found near Sherpur Chowk railway tracks.
The police are continuing their search for the absconding accused, Shamsher Singh Shera and Kuldeep Kaur, to unravel the full story behind this chilling murder.
