Authorities say the killing of Kuldeep Kumar, a 35-year-old man from India, whose body was discovered in a Manchester forest in December, was an act of retribution. The revelation comes from statements made by suspects arrested in connection with his death.
Four men from Greenwood, Indiana—Nirmal Singh, 30, Gaurav Singh, 27, Gurdeep Singh, 22, and Sourav Kumar, 23—have been ordered to remain in custody at the Ocean County Jail following a detention hearing on Thursday before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed their arrest on December 20, with their extradition from Indiana completed on January 26.
A fifth suspect, Sandeep Kumar, was taken into custody on January 3 and faces the same charges: murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He, too, has been ordered held until trial.
Kuldeep Kumar’s remains were discovered on December 14 in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area near Pasadena Road. An off-duty police officer, preparing for a hunting trip, stumbled upon the body.
Kumar was found wearing a shirt, pants, and flip-flops, with advanced decomposition suggesting he had been dead for some time. Nearby, investigators recovered four 9mm shell casings. A subsequent autopsy confirmed multiple gunshot wounds to the chest as the cause of death.
Additionally, authorities discovered a fifth shell casing, four teeth, and a case for Apple AirPods containing one earpiece. The device was linked to a name associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a criminal organization operating in India, Canada, and the United States.
The Bishnoi gang is known for violent extortion, contract killings, narcotics trafficking, and financial fraud targeting South Asian communities. While the gang’s connection to the suspects remains unclear, authorities are investigating potential ties.
Investigators identified Kumar through fingerprints, uncovering details about his immigration status. He had previously been detained in Tucson, Arizona, for illegal entry into the U.S. but had applied for asylum. He was scheduled to attend an immigration hearing in New York the day after he went missing.
Authorities believe he was killed on or around October 22 in connection to the death of Sourav Kumar’s sister, though specifics regarding her passing remain undisclosed.
According to court documents, Kumar had been residing in Maine but traveled to New York City in October to stay with a cousin ahead of his asylum hearing. On the night of October 22, he received a phone call from Sandeep Kumar, urging him to step outside for a conversation. He was last seen getting into a white car.
When Kumar failed to return, his cousin attempted to file a missing person report, but police required an immediate family member to do so. His brother later traveled to New York and officially reported him missing on October 26.
Meanwhile, Kumar’s family began receiving threats warning them not to involve the authorities. Days later, Sourav Kumar and Gaurav Singh contacted Kumar’s brother, stating, “Your brother got what he deserved.” They allegedly threatened further violence if the family pursued legal action. In a recorded video submitted to law enforcement, the suspects were heard threatening him.
Investigators believe the suspects traveled from Indiana to New Jersey with a premeditated plan to lure Kumar to his death. Prior to the murder, Sourav Kumar contacted a friend in South Jersey, asking to borrow a car under the pretense of taking a girl on a date. He and the other suspects then traveled to New York to pick up Kumar.
According to the case documents, Sourav was enraged after Kumar allegedly blocked his calls regarding his sister’s death. That night, after luring Kumar outside, the group drove to a secluded area in Manchester, where he was shot multiple times.
Statements from the five suspects differ regarding who pulled the trigger. Sandeep Kumar initially denied involvement but later claimed that Sourav Kumar ordered him to kill Kumar. He said Sourav left him in a New York park afterward, warning him not to talk.
Sourav Kumar claimed that during the car ride, they pressured Kumar to confess to crimes against his sister. He alleged that Kumar admitted guilt and accepted his fate. Sourav claimed he directed Sandeep to carry out the execution, then drove north, dropping Sandeep off near Hightstown, NJ.
Nirmal Singh alleged that Sourav and Gurdeep Singh led Kumar into the woods before shots were fired. He claimed that only the two returned to the vehicle.
Gurdeep Singh contradicted the others, stating that Sourav himself shot Kumar multiple times.
After the killing, the group fled New Jersey, returning to Indiana.
Authorities tracked the suspects to Greenwood, Indiana, through cell phone data linked to Gaurav Singh. A search of their residence uncovered mail addressed to Sourav Kumar, further tying him to the location. The four were arrested and extradited back to New Jersey.
While the investigation continues, law enforcement remains focused on determining whether this homicide was connected to a larger network of organized crime. The suspects face trial on murder and conspiracy charges, with prosecutors pushing for maximum penalties.