NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Ceres, CA, October 27, 2026: A 72-year-old woman who had been missing for more than two months was found dead in an irrigation canal in California on Saturday, October 24, bringing a tragic end to a search that had mobilized her family, law enforcement agencies and community volunteers.
Ajit Kaur, a resident of Ceres in Stanislaus County, was identified by the county coroner’s office on Tuesday, October 27, three days after employees of the Turlock Irrigation District discovered her body in the Lower Lateral 3 Canal near Central Avenue and Keyes Road.
Kaur had been missing since August 23, when she reportedly left her apartment at the Casa Grande Apartments on Whitmore Avenue for a late-night walk and never returned.
According to earlier media reports, surveillance footage showed Kaur leaving her apartment at approximately 1:45 a.m. She reportedly left behind her cellphone, purse, identification, money and house key, raising immediate concerns among family members.
Her family said Kaur regularly took walks in the neighborhood to visit friends and relatives, but it was highly unusual for her to disappear without informing anyone.
Kaur also had several health concerns, including diabetes, high blood pressure and impaired vision in one eye. Her family worried that she did not have access to her regular medication.
From the early days of her disappearance, family members feared she might have accidentally fallen into a nearby irrigation canal along her usual walking route.
Her granddaughter, Nicole Sekhon, told CBS Sacramento in August that the family was particularly concerned about the canal and wanted authorities to expand their search efforts.
“I think that’s why we’re putting so much pressure on the canal, because it’s only logical,” Sekhon said at the time.
The family appealed for additional search resources, including divers, sonar equipment and volunteers. A candlelight vigil was also held at Neel Park in Ceres on August 25 as relatives and community members prayed for Kaur’s safe return.
According to Ceres police, investigators searched canals throughout the city, canvassed surrounding neighborhoods and reviewed surveillance footage. The Merced County Sheriff’s Office provided a trained search dog, while the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department Dive Unit deployed an underwater drone equipped with sonar technology.
Police also coordinated with the Turlock Irrigation District to examine the canal system and determine where Kaur might have traveled if she had entered the water.
On Saturday, irrigation district employees discovered a body around noon in the Lower Lateral 3 Canal. Ceres Police Chief Trenton Johnson initially said the clothing appeared to match what Kaur had been wearing when she disappeared, including a peach-colored Indian outfit and a dark pink headscarf.
The Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office subsequently confirmed the body was Kaur’s.
Sekhon announced the heartbreaking news on Facebook on behalf of the Sangha and Sekhon family.
“Ajit Kaur has been found, and sadly, she has passed away,” she wrote.
“It is with deep sorrow that we share this news with you. Ajit has been found, and she is no longer with us.”
The family requested privacy as they grieve and come to terms with the loss.
“To everyone who searched, shared, prayed, and supported us over the last two months: thank you. Your kindness and help carried us through the hardest of times, and we will never forget it,” the statement said.
Authorities have not publicly announced the cause or manner of Kaur’s death. Although police previously indicated that they did not suspect foul play, investigators have not confirmed whether she accidentally fell into the canal.
The circumstances surrounding her death remain under investigation.
