Melbourne maths teacher Sunil Sharma, 66, who disappeared in India last month while preparing an investment property for sale, is believed by police to have been murdered by his brother in Amritsar, Punjab. Sharma had travelled to the city in north-west India and was last seen on May 22. Police in Amritsar said they arrested his brother, Satish Sharma, on Saturday local time and allege he drugged Sunil with a drink containing sleeping pills before killing him with a baseball bat.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwalpreet Singh said Satish Sharma’s wife and son allegedly helped remove a blood-stained mattress and the bat used in the attack. Police also said the body was dumped in a canal, and a search was continuing to recover it. The case has shocked family members in Australia, who say they have now been told that Satish Sharma confessed to the killing and disposal of the body.
Sunil Sharma’s daughter, Surbhi Sharma, said authorities informed the family that her uncle had been arrested and had admitted to murdering his brother and dumping the body in a river. She said a major search operation was under way. In a tribute, she described her father as intelligent, strong, funny, loving and sensitive, saying he had a good heart and was always there for the family. She said she felt fortunate to have had a father who taught her so much about life.
Surbhi Sharma also thanked the Diamond Valley College community in Melbourne for their tributes to her father. She said he would have been proud to know that people recognised him and that he had spent his life giving the gift of education to hundreds of students. Sunil Sharma worked at Diamond Valley College in Melbourne’s north-east for 13 years and was remembered by the school as a dedicated and valued member of staff.
The Department of Education issued condolences on behalf of the school community, saying its thoughts were with Sharma’s family, friends, colleagues and students. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is understood to be aware of the arrests and is in regular contact with Indian authorities. The case remains under investigation as police continue efforts to locate Sunil Sharma’s body.
