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Updated ,first published
A Melbourne maths teacher and beloved father was drugged and murdered with a baseball bat before his body was dumped in a canal in India, police say.
Officers in Amritsar, in India’s north-west, have charged the man’s brother with murder, as they continue to scour the canal to find his body.
Documents seen by this masthead suggest the brother has confessed to the murder, which possibly came after the brother allegedly tried to steal the dead man’s property.
Sunil Sharma was first reported missing on May 22 after travelling to India from Melbourne to sell two investment properties.
The 66-year-old was a maths teacher at Diamond Valley College in Melbourne’s north-east. The school is yet to comment publicly on his disappearance or death.
On Saturday (Melbourne time), police in Amritsar provided an update on their criminal investigation.
Officers said they had arrested Satish Sharma – Sunil’s brother – Satish’s wife, Anushka, and her son Sunish, as well as property dealer Lakshman Singh.
They claimed that Satish and Sunish took Sunil from a house, drugged him with sleeping pills and hit him on the head with a baseball bat, killing him.
Police also claimed Satish’s wife arrived and the three of them tried to destroy evidence of the murder, including a bloody mattress and the baseball bat, before dumping Sunil’s body in the Harike canal.
Sunil’s daughter Surbhi Sharma spoke to media outlets the week her father was reported missing, saying she was worried he had met with foul play.
Surbhi said her father went to India to sell his two investment properties so that he could retire in Melbourne.
“He had offers on both,” she said. “He had a shipping container booked to ship his furniture.”
It is understood that the four accused had fabricated a power of attorney and sold the two properties along with Sunil’s sister’s property.
Surbhi said she did not want anyone to associate her father “with the type of person his brother turned out to be”.
“Anyone who’s met my dad will say he is intelligent, strong and funny, but he [was] also loving and sensitive. He had a good heart and a tough exterior,” she said. “My dad was always there for us. I count myself so lucky to have had a father like him who taught me everything I know about life today.”
Surbhi also thanked people who had sent well wishes to her and her family.
Sunil’s death is being felt across Australia’s Indian diaspora community. “Sunil Sharma was more than a headline,” wrote the Facebook page Indians of Sydney in paying tribute to him.
“He was a father. A teacher. A member of our Australian community. A man described by his daughter as intelligent, strong, funny, loving and sensitive. A man who had spent years educating young minds and was looking forward to returning home to Australia after settling family matters in India.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Education – and also on behalf of Sharma’s teaching colleagues – said in a statement that he had been dedicated and valued member of the school community for 13 years.
“[We] send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Sunil Sharma on the news of his reported death in India,” they said. “Our heartfelt sympathies and thoughts are with Mr Sharma’s family, friends, colleagues and students.”
A spokesperson for the Punjabi Community of Victoria also said the group was deeply saddened and shocked by Sharma’s death.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mr Sharma’s family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. No family should have to endure such a senseless and tragic loss,” president Param Jaswal said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn this heinous crime and call for justice to be delivered swiftly and fairly.”
Jaswal also said the swift work by police had provided the Sharma family with some reassurance.
“We stand in solidarity with the Sharma family and all those affected by this tragedy.”
A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade declined to comment, but said the government was aware of the death and the arrests.
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Rachael Ward is a journalist in the City team at The Age. Contact her at rachael.ward@theage.com.auConnect via email.From our partners
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