Honour killing theory as mother-of-two is found dumped in the street with her hand severed

A mother was found dying in a street with serious head wounds and her right hand cut off as she went to pick up her children after work.

Geeta Aulakh, who has two young sons, died four hours later in hospital from her horrific injuries.

Police later arrested her estranged husband, 31-year-old Harpreet Aulakh, along with five other men.



Separated: Harpreet has now been arrested by police investigating the death of his wife Geeta Aulakh



Mrs Aulakh was on her way home from her job as a receptionist at community radio station Sunrise Radio when she was attacked.

The 28-year-old was ambushed just yards from the home of her sons' childminder at about 7pm on Monday.

A passer-by found her unconsciousness and bleeding heavily, and called an ambulance to the street in Greenford, West London.

But Mrs Aulakh died in the early hours of yesterday, just as her mother arrived at her bedside at Charring Cross Hospital in West London.

She was separated from her husband, whom she had married against her parents' wishes, and friends described him as a 'waste of space'. The couple were believed to be in the middle of divorce proceedings.

Blood stains on the wall close to where the 28-year-old was found

Police are investigating several theories behind the murder, including jealousy, access to the children or bringing dishonour on the family.

A friend said: 'It's horrific but hugely symbolic that Geeta's right hand was cut off.

'She was a Sikh and all Sikhs wear a metal bangle, the kara, on their right wrist.

'It is a permanent reminder to live a moral and good life and once it's on you can't get it off. So her murderer was both dishonouring her and perhaps tryingto show she had been dishonourable - which is just barbaric.

'We are all shocked and distraught by her murder as she was such a warm and friendly person, who lived for her sons.'

Mrs Aulakh grew up in Southall, West London, in a middle-class family with two brothers and two sisters.



Police officers search the area for clues close to where Mrs Aulakh's was attacked on her way home from work



At the family home last night, a large number of relatives had gathered.

One said: 'This has been a huge shock and we're all extremely upset.' Mrs Aulakh had moved out last year with the couple's two young sons, nine-year-old Karan and Tejdeep, eight.

But friends said jobless Mr Aulakh was devastated when she left and was trying to win his wife back.

Dr Avtar Lit, chairman of Sunrise Radio in Southall, said Mrs Aulakh had married her estranged husband against the

wishes of her family. 'She was strong willed and didn't want an arranged marriage,' Dr Lit added.

'She fell for this man when she was very young. Her parents didn't think he was good enough for her, and they said he was " unproductive".

'Her parents felt Geeta could do a lot better, and her father even told her he was not good enough.



Police at the scene in Greenford. Mrs Aulakh died hours later in hospital

'The couple fled to Sweden when they first got married and came back a year later.

'Geeta was very hardworking and was the breadwinner and Sunny, as he was known, never seemed to have a job.

'This created quite a few problems in their marriage and they argued a lot.'

He added that Mr Aulakh was not happy when his wife and children left.

'I only found out today that he wanted her back,' added Dr Lit. 'That was the kind of person Geeta was, she held everything inside.

'She was lovely girl, intelligent and hardworking, cheerful, happy and always smiling.

'She was very grounded and displayed the best of East and Western values.'

News producer and friend Seema Sidha said: 'I was with her on Monday night when we walked home together before I caught the train.

'She said she was going to pick her children up from the childminder's. That is the last time I saw her and it was about 6.30pm.

'That was her normal routine. She would drop her kids off in the morning and pick them up after work.

'She was a very helpful, very happy person, always smiling. Everyone is devastated,' the 31-year-old added.

The Metropolitan Police are appealing for witnesses.

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 0208 358 0200 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.