Wife's murder charge shocks Sikhs

Amandeep Kaur, who has denied murder charges, will reappear in court in October. Pictures / Richard Robinson

Community says support will go to couple’s 10-year-old son in India after mother accused of takeaway killing

Auckland's Sikh community is shocked by the revelation that one of the people accused of stabbing a man to death in his car is his wife.

Name suppression for Amandeep Kaur, 31, and her co-accused, Gurjinder Singh, 25, was lifted yesterday when the pair appeared in the High Court at Auckland charged with the murder of 35-year-old Davender Singh. Both pleaded not guilty.

Kaur was the wife of the victim and was with him on the night of August 7.

Police said the couple stopped on a Papatoetoe road to eat takeaways on their way home from work. Davender Singh was then viciously attacked with a sharp implement and died in the driver's seat.

Straight after his death, his family said he had no enemies and believed his killing was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Family spokesman and Sikh leader Daljit Singh said many in the community were unaware of charges against Kaur until yesterday, he said.

Daljit Singh said the community's "moral duty" was to support the couple's 10-year-old son in India. The couple sent him back so they could focus on their careers.

Sikhs had raised about $10,000 for the boy and a further $15,000, with help from ACC and Victim Support, for the victim's body to be sent back to India.

"Arrangements are being made for the body to be sent to his parents for cremation," said Daljit Singh.

After the attack, Detective Inspector Dave Lynch said: "Mr Singh's got a lot of wounds so there's definitely an indication of a violent struggle ... in and around the vehicle."

Kaur will remain in custody until at least October, when she and her co-accused will be back in court.

Davender Singh came from Rajasthan seven years ago and was working as an upholsterer for a furniture company in Mangere.