NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Sacramento, CA, November 1, 2026: The family of Indian-origin nurse Jasmine Gill, who was allegedly murdered by her husband in California last month, has appealed to Indian and US authorities for help in obtaining custody of her eight-month-old son, who is reportedly in foster care following his mother’s death and father’s arrest.
Jasmine’s mother, 62-year-old Sukhwinder Kaur Aujla, who lives in Punjab, has sought diplomatic and legal assistance to bring her grandson, Jugad, to India so she can raise him.
According to The Indian Express, Sukhwinder and her son, Paash Azaad, have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to intervene.
The family has requested assistance in securing custody or guardianship of the child, obtaining permission to travel to the United States to pursue legal proceedings, and bringing Jasmine’s remains back to India for her last rites.
“My daughter’s heart is still beating inside her son,” Sukhwinder told The Indian Express.
The grieving grandmother said Jasmine regularly shared videos of her baby with the family in India. The child, born on February 9, 2026, has never met his maternal grandmother or uncle in person.
Jasmine, 30, was reported missing in California in September after her husband, Gurinder Singh Gill, 28, allegedly claimed that US immigration authorities had detained her while she was checking the mail. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) subsequently denied conducting an enforcement operation at the couple’s residence.
Investigators later discovered burned human remains in El Dorado County on October 1. The remains were identified as Jasmine’s.
Gurinder was arrested on October 14 and charged with murder. He remains in custody without bail. His next court appearance is reportedly scheduled for December 7.
Authorities have said the couple was involved in divorce and child custody proceedings before Jasmine’s death.
Jasmine’s family has alleged that she faced harassment and financial pressure during her marriage. Her brother also claimed that she received little support during childbirth and had decided to leave her husband. These allegations have not been independently established in court.
Originally from Punjab, Jasmine graduated from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana before moving to Canada in 2018. She qualified as a registered nurse and worked in Toronto.
She married Gurinder, a US-based nurse practitioner, in an arranged marriage in Punjab on March 11, 2024, and subsequently moved to California.
Jasmine’s father died in 2001, leaving Sukhwinder, herself a nurse, to raise Jasmine and her brother. Now, following her daughter’s death, Sukhwinder hopes to take responsibility for raising her grandson.
The family has also sought consideration of relatives living in the United States as potential caregivers while efforts to secure custody continue.
They have launched a campaign called “Justice for Jasmine” and are seeking assistance from authorities in both countries to ensure that the child can be reunited with his maternal family.
As of November 1, there has been no publicly confirmed decision on the family’s custody request or indication that the Indian or US governments have formally responded to the appeal.
Any transfer of custody or relocation of the child to India would be subject to applicable US legal proceedings.
Cover photo credit: Change.org/Jasmine Gill.
