New Delhi , May 1 : Two days after four members of a Sikh family were fatally shot and killed in their home at Ohio’s Cincinnati in the United States, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj said she was aware of the crime and did not believe it to be a hate crime.”
She, in a Twitter post, informed that one of the four dead was an Indian national on a visit to the US, and the other three were of Indian-origin.
An investigation is underway at West Chester in Ohio. A relative who found the bleeding bodies of the family informed the police saying, “My wife and three other family members were on the ground and bleeding… they’re bleeding from the head.”
No arrests have been made yet.
According to a report released by the police, they were all shot to death around 9:50 p.m (local time) on Sunday.
A local religious leader on Monday identified the deceased as Hakikat Singh Panag, 59, his wife, Paramjit Kaur, 62, their daughter, Shalinder Kaur, 39, and his sister-in-law, Amarjit Kaur, 58.
A coroner said all four deaths were homicides and they died from “gunshots.” At least one of them was preparing food when they died. By the time police arrived at the Lakefront at West Chester apartment complex, the unattended dish was on fire, police said.
The motive behind the slayings remained unclear, and there was no indication if it being a hate crime, the report released by the police said.
The Indian consulate in New York said it was in close communication with the police.
“Our condolences to the bereaved family. We are in constant touch with the Police and family. We are confident about the culprit being brought to book,” the Indian consulate in New York tweeted.
