Two days after the semi-burnt body of a 22-year-old woman was found stuffed inside a suitcase near Bathinda, Punjab Police arrested her friend, Prince Kumar, in connection with the killing. Officials described the incident as a suspected &ldquo;crime of passion.&rdquo;
The victim, a resident of Baghapurana in Moga district, had been living in Bathinda. The accused, a 35-year-old unemployed man reportedly struggling with substance abuse, allegedly stabbed her multiple times at his house in the Surkhpeer area in the early hours of February 9.
Police said the body was kept inside the house for nearly two days. The accused allegedly attempted to burn the remains before placing them in a suitcase. On the night of February 10-11, he is believed to have transported and dumped the suitcase in fields near Behman Diwana village along the Bathinda-Fazilka highway.
Investigators recovered the suitcase, a knife suspected to be the murder weapon, and the car used to dispose of the body. Sources indicated the victim had sustained multiple deep stab wounds.
The case saw a breakthrough after CCTV footage from Parasram Nagar captured the woman with the accused on February 7, the last time she was seen alive. Technical analysis of her phone records helped police zero in on Kumar after questioning around 15 individuals.
Authorities stated he acted alone. They also revealed that after the killing, he allegedly got a tattoo of himself with the woman inked on his chest.
The victim&rsquo;s family has not yet claimed the body. Police said details of her personal life are being withheld to protect her privacy.

Woman’s semi-burnt body found in fields; accused arrested

Bathinda Suitcase Murder: Friend Held

Woman’s semi-burnt body found in fields; accused arrested

February 14, 2026 | 14:02 IST