Ludhiana woman killed in Canada, man held for 'intimate partner homicide'

Canadian police have charged a 22-year-old Indian national, Ritish Kumar, with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his 23-year-old partner, Damanpreet Kaur. Kaur, who hailed from the Ludhiana district of Punjab, India, was discovered unresponsive with suspicious injuries at a residence in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 9.

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An adult male was taken into custody shortly thereafter.

Officers responded to the call at approximately 6:44 pm and found Kaur at a home in the Silverberry neighborhood. She was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, where she succumbed on July 12. A subsequent autopsy conducted by the Edmonton Medical Examiner's Office on July 14 confirmed the manner of death as homicide. Investigators revealed on July 23 that the cause of death was strangulation, information that had been withheld during the early stages of the investigation.

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Damanpreet Kaur was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where she died on July 12.

The Edmonton Police Service stated that the death is classified as an "intimate partner homicide," a term used in Canada to denote murders involving current or former romantic partners. Police are not currently seeking additional suspects in connection with the case. The circumstances leading to Kaur's death and any potential motive have not been disclosed by authorities.

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The cause of death was strangulation, saying the information had earlier been withheld for investigative reasons.

Local media reports indicate that Kaur and Kumar had been living together in a basement suite. Members of Edmonton's Punjabi community have expressed shock and described Kaur as friendly. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to assist Kaur's family with repatriating her body to India and covering funeral expenses, aiming to help them perform her last rites.

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Ritish Kumar was arrested on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, and charged with second degree murder.