19-year-old Punjabi woman found stabbed after family claims her husband frequently abused her

By News Desk

After the tragic death of a 19-year-old Punjabi woman at a residence in London, her husband has been detained and is facing charges of her murder.

Mehak Sharma had recently arrived in the UK from India and lived with her husband Sahil Sharma, 23, at their residence in Ash Tree Way, Croydon.

On Sunday, 29 October, the police were called at 16:10 hrs and after arriving at the scene, they found Mehak with suffering stab injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination was arranged.

The special post-mortem examination conducted on Tuesday, 31 October found the cause of Mehak’s death to have been a stab wound to the neck.

Sahil was arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment of a minor head injury. He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on 31 October where he was charged with murder.

Mehak’s next of kin were notified, but the formal identification process is still pending.

Metropolitan Police detectives are seeking information from the public regarding the fatal stabbing. This incident marks the eighth homicide in Croydon since January 2023, making it statistically the most affected borough in London.

Authorities are encouraging anyone who witnessed or heard any disturbance at the property on the afternoon of October 29 to come forward and contact the police.

Eyewitnesses recounted the scene where armed police and a helicopter descended upon the street. One neighbour describe the scene as “chaos”, while another said: “There was pandemonium last night, there were police everywhere. They kicked the door open of the house where it happened.”

According to reports, the couple who were residing there with a child, had purchased the three-bedroom terrace home for £445,000 in July and had been renting out rooms in the property.

Back in Punjab, India, Mehak’s father informed reporters that his daughter got married on 24 June, 2022.

In November of the same year, she arrived in Croydon on a study visa. Later, Sahil joined her on a spouse visa.

Her mother, Madhu Bala, mentioned that her daughter subsequently converted her study visa to a work visa. She was employed as a caretaker at Fabulous Home Care Limited.

Madhu claims that Sahil would frequently abuse her daughter and make threats to take her life. She further asserted that in the days leading up to the stabbing, he complained that Mehak had been in frequent contact with her mother. However, Madhu clarified that she had not heard from her daughter in two days.

Tragically, she received a phone call from London, informing her of her daughter’s demise.