US: Scores attend funeral of Indian-origin family who were killed

San Francisco, Oct 17: Hundreds of people attended the funeral services for four members of an Indian-origin Sikh family, including a baby girl, who were kidnapped and killed by a man earlier this month in the US State of California.

The Sikh family of four, 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her 27-year-old mother Jasleen Kaur, her 36-year-old father Jasdeep Singh, and her 39-year-old uncle Amandeep Singh were kidnapped at gunpoint on October 3 and killed allegedly by Jesus Salgado, a disgruntled former employee of their trucking company on October 5.

The funeral services for the Sikh family members were held in Turlock, a city in California on Saturday, news agency PTI reported.

"We are just here to show the family there now, they're not in this alone," said Mani Grewal, Stanislaus County Supervisor.

"Our community is way better than the acts of these two individuals that have done heinous crimes," KTLA-TV quoted Grewal as saying.

Friends of the victims said it will take a long time for the family and community to heal.

"I don't know how the family is going to come out of this tragedy. It's going to be very difficult. We are here to support the family," said Sanjeev Tewari, a friend of the family.

Saturday's memorial at Allen Mortuary was for family only, but community members were welcome to show their support outside the service, the report said.

The funeral was done according to the Sikh tradition.

Salgado entered a not guilty plea in court on Thursday, Merced County Chief Deputy District Attorney Matthew Serratto said.

He will be back in court next month. His brother, Alberto, is charged as an accessory.

Salgado, who was arrested on October 6, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for the death of the Indian-origin family. He is also charged with arson and possessing a firearm by a prohibited person.

Salgado, 48, is being held on USD 450,000 bail, according to county inmate records. His attorney could not be reached for comment. A status hearing in the case is set for December 15.

The Sikh family, originally from Harsi Pind in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, was kidnapped at a business in Merced County, California.