Kidnapped Sikh man killed in US; authorities say he was not 'intended target' of crime

A Sikh man in the United States was found dead days after his kidnapping. Authorities said he was not the “intended target” of the crime.

The victim was identified as 57-year-old Avtar Singh. He had reportedly gone missing on February 17 in Tracy, California.

During investigation, authorities found that surveillance footage showed a white SUV and three unidentified individuals dressed in dark clothing with Singh at approximately 2:30 pm on February 17. The victim appeared to enter the vehicle against his will, the authorities said.

San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office in a statement said that Singh was found dead on February 20 at approximately 3:20 pm near Lake Berryessa after the Napa County Sheriff’s Office located a body matching the description of the missing person.

“Based on the information known at this time, this appears to be an isolated incident, and there is no known ongoing threat to the community,” the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said.

Singh used to work at a Gurudwara in the area as a volunteer where he also lived with his wife and three young triplets, PTI reports suggested.

(With PTI inputs)