Husband of murdered Indian woman, daughter back in New Zealand

NORTH ISLAND - Indian national Dev Sangha, whose wife and 18-month-old daughter were found dead in their Tauranga home in New Zealand, touched down at the Auckland International Airport on Tuesday.

Dev had been holidaying in India when he was informed about his wife Ravneet’s death and, initially, the disappearance of their daughter Anna.

New Zealand Police officials met Dev at the airport, and he will now formally identify the bodies, the New Zealand Herald reports.

Ravneet was found dead in a house in Otumoetai, a Tauranga suburb, on Sunday evening, while Anna’s body was found on Tuesday afternoon- almost 20 hours later - as it had been concealed in the house.

A 23-year-old Indian man was charged with the woman’s murder, and he appeared in Counties Manukau District Court on Monday afternoon.

He was granted interim name suppression and remanded to reappear in Tauranga District Court on Thursday, when further charges are likely to be laid.

Meanwhile, Sikh Society spokesman Daljit Singh said the accused man had been living at the family’s house and was a “trusted family member”.

He said it was normal in Indian culture for people to come out from India and live with their extended family.

Western Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Mike Clement confirmed that the couple knew the accused killer, and said that he was “associated with the address”. (ANI)