Cold Case Killers

S03E08 Love, Honour & Obey: The Murder of Surjit Athwal

In December 1998, 26-year-old Surjit Athwal went missing after a family trip to India, never returning to her home in London. Her husband and mother-in-law returned without her, insisting that Surjit had altered her travel plans. However, her brother Jagdeesh reported her disappearance to the authorities. The police encountered a strong reluctance to cooperate from the close-knit Sikh community. A woman aware of Surjit’s fate was terrified that speaking out would put her own life in danger, fearing she could be the next to vanish if she disclosed the truth.