The daughter of a Melbourne maths teacher allegedly drugged and bludgeoned to death by his own brother has issued an emotional public statement, describing his murder as an “unthinkable betrayal” as four family members face charges over the killing.
Sunil Sharma, 66, a teacher at Diamond Valley College, disappeared last month during a trip to Punjab in northern India, where he had travelled to oversee renovations at his investment properties. Indian police now believe he was murdered by his brother, Satish “Sunny” Sharma, in a dispute over property estimated to be worth AUD$740,000. Satish has been arrested and charged with murder, while a sister-in-law and nephew have been charged in connection with an alleged cover-up. A fourth person, a property dealer, has also been arrested, with police continuing to search for two further suspects.
Mr Sharma’s remains have not yet been recovered. Police allege he was given sleeping pills before being struck with a baseball bat and killed, with his body then dumped in a canal more than an hour’s drive from where he was last seen in Amritsar.
In an emotional social media post following news of the arrests, Mr Sharma’s daughter Surbhi defended her father’s memory and distanced him from the actions of his brother. “I want to say clearly: do not associate my dad with the actions of his ‘brother,'” she wrote. “My dad supported his brother and his family financially and emotionally throughout his whole life and raised him like a son. Dad was a good man and a victim of an unthinkable betrayal that still cannot be comprehended by our own family. A part of us has been lost to a heinous crime that should never have happened. I pray that the justice system in India enforces the maximum penalty for everyone involved in this calculated and premeditated crime. My dad deserves nothing less.”
She also spoke of the support her family had received from the Diamond Valley College community, where a tribute to her father has been installed. “There is real comfort in knowing that his soul would be at peace seeing just how deeply loved and respected he is by this community,” she said. “To everyone who commented about my dad as a maths teacher, he would have loved to see that. It means everything to know he gave the gift of education and shaped the lives of hundreds of students.”
Police in Amritsar have provided further details of the alleged killing. Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwalpreet Singh told a press conference that Mr Sharma’s brother had acted “out of greed” and committed fraud in connection with the murder. “When they took the victim from his house, they gave him sleeping pills. After administering the pills, they struck him on the head with a baseball bat, causing a head injury and killing him,” Supt Singh said. “Afterwards, his son was present there and his wife also came. They tried to get rid of evidence. Satish Sharma, out of greed for money, prepared a forged power of attorney. Using that power of attorney, they made deals to sell a house.”
