The family of Kirandeep Kaur, a 24-year-old Sikh mother, is seeking justice and the repatriation of her body to India after she was fatally stabbed in her home in Hayes, west London, on July 12. Ms. Kaur, who had been living in the UK on a student visa since 2024, was allegedly attacked by an intruder shortly before 8 a.m. while sleeping in bed with her husband and newborn baby.
Forensic officers were seen at the scene of the incident on July 12.
She sustained a stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead less than 30 minutes later. Ms. Kaur's mother, Baljeet Kaur, expressed shock at the level of violence in the UK, stating she believed she had sent her daughter to a safe place to study.
"We didn't realise hooliganism and violence is happening [in the UK] too," Baljeet Kaur told ITV. "We want justice, we want our daughter's body returned from Hayes."
Ms. Kaur's brother, Gurvinder Singh, also shared his family's distress upon learning of her death on July 17. The family wishes for Ms. Kaur's body to be returned to her native village of Piddi, located in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab, for burial.
Daniel Sean James, 46, has been charged with murder in connection with Ms. Kaur's death. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday and is also accused of a separate stabbing that left a man in his 20s with non-life-threatening injuries before the alleged attack on Ms. Kaur. Court officials stated that both victims were strangers to the defendant.
A plea hearing is scheduled for October 1, with a provisional trial set for April 5 of the following year. James has been remanded in custody. The Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall Gurdwara has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with Ms. Kaur's funeral arrangements.