Lakhvinder Cheema
Murder by aconite-laced curry in West London.
Lakhvinder Cheema was killed on 27 January 2009 in Southall, West London. His former lover, Lakhvir Kaur Singh, poisoned him using a substance from the *Aconitum ferox* plant, which contains the potent alkaloid pseudaconitine. The case drew attention for the cruelty of the method and the clear planning involved—Singh had traveled to India to obtain the poison, known as bikh. She was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 23 years.
Singh had been in a 16-year affair with Cheema after his first marriage ended. She had three children, and her husband Aunkar was being treated for cancer. The affair ended when Cheema became engaged to a younger woman in November 2008. Before that, Singh had threatened to burn down his house if she found him in bed with the new partner.
After the breakup, Cheema spent a week in hospital in December 2008 with suspected poisoning after eating a meal Singh had prepared. A month later, she returned from India with the aconite. On 27 January 2009, she went to Cheema’s home and laced a leftover curry in his fridge with the poison, knowing he and his fiancée, Gurjeet Choongh, planned to eat it that evening. Cheema had second helpings. Soon after, he began vomiting, his face went numb, and he lost his sight and the use of his limbs. His sister got both to a hospital, but Cheema died within an hour. Choongh had the same symptoms but was put into a medically induced coma and recovered fully. During a 999 call, Cheema said he had been poisoned by his ex-girlfriend.
The trial was held at the Old Bailey in February 2010. Victims of aconitine poisoning suffer severe vomiting, paralysis, organ failure, and death by asphyxiation while remaining conscious. The last murder prosecution using aconitine had been in 1882. Singh tried to blame her brother-in-law Varinda, but a lodger had seen her take the curry from the fridge on the day of the murder. A plastic bag with brown powder found in her coat—which she said was rash medication—was identified as Indian aconite, matching the poison in the curry.
Singh was convicted on 10 February 2010 of murdering Cheema and causing grievous bodily harm to Choongh. She was acquitted of attempted murder and of administering poison on an earlier occasion. The Crown had asked for a life sentence with a minimum of 30 years, citing the gravity of the crime, premeditation, and two victims.
- Date of murder
- 27 January 2009
- Location
- Southall, West London
- Victim
- Lakhvinder Cheema
- Perpetrator
- Lakhvir Kaur Singh
- Poison source
- Aconitum ferox plant (bikh poison)
- Toxic alkaloid
- pseudaconitine
- Sentence
- life imprisonment with a 23-year minimum term
Lore & Background
Singh had engaged in a 16-year affair with Lakhvinder Cheema after his first marriage had failed. She had three children and her husband Aunkar was being treated for cancer. The main event leading up to the murder was Cheema breaking off the affair to enter an engagement with a younger woman in November 2008. Prior to this, Singh had threatened that she would burn down his house if she found him in bed with the woman.
After the break-up, Cheema was hospitalized for a week in December 2008 with suspected poisoning after consuming a meal prepared by Singh. A month later, Singh returned from a trip to India with the aconite. On 27 January 2009, Singh went to the victim's home and laced a leftover curry in his refrigerator with the poison, knowing that he and his fiancée, Gurjeet Choongh, were planning to eat the dish that evening.
Cheema had second helpings of the curry. After dinner he began to vomit, his face became numb; he soon lost vision and the use of his limbs. Though his sister was able to get the couple to a hospital, Cheema died within an hour of arrival. Choongh suffered the same symptoms but was placed into a medically induced coma and made a full recovery. During a 999 call, Cheema stated he had been poisoned by his ex-girlfriend.
Reader's Guide
The case gained attention due to the particularly cruel nature of Cheema's killing. Victims of aconitine poisoning suffer severe vomiting, and often become paralysed. Their organs stop working and they die from asphyxiation, yet they remain conscious throughout. The case was also unusual, as the last prosecution for murder using aconitine was that of George Henry Lamson in 1882.
The trial took place at the Old Bailey in February 2010. Singh attempted to blame her brother-in-law Varinda for the crime, but a lodger had witnessed her taking the curry out of the fridge on the day of the murder. A plastic bag containing brown powder was found in Singh's coat; she claimed it was medication for a rash on her neck, whereas it was in fact Indian aconite, matching the poison found in the curry.
Singh was convicted on 10 February 2010 of the murder of Lakhvinder Cheema and grievous bodily harm against his new fiancée who survived the attack (Singh was acquitted of attempted murder). She was also acquitted of administering poison to her ex-lover's food on a previous occasion. The Crown had sought life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years, due to the gravity of the case and the level of premeditation in addition to the fact there had been two victims. Singh received a life sentence with a 23-year minimum term.
Did You Know?
- The poison used was derived from the Aconitum ferox plant, containing the alkaloid pseudaconitine.
- Singh became known as 'The Curry Killer' due to the food to which the poison was added.
- Cheema remained conscious while dying from asphyxiation due to the poison's effects.
- The last prosecution for murder using aconitine before this case was in 1882.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lakhvinder Cheema?
Lakhvinder Cheema was a man murdered in Southall, West London, on 27 January 2009. He had been in a 16-year relationship with his killer, Lakhvir Kaur Singh, which began after his first marriage dissolved.
What substance was used to kill Lakhvinder Cheema?
The poison was bikh, derived from the Aconitum ferox plant, whose lethal alkaloid is pseudaconitine. Singh had specifically traveled to India to source the plant material.
How was the poison delivered to Cheema?
Singh laced a curry with the aconite extract, making the meal the vehicle for the toxic alkaloid. The deliberate preparation and choice of a familiar dish underscored the premeditated nature of the act.
What sentence did Lakhvir Kaur Singh receive?
She was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years before any possibility of parole. The court emphasized the extreme planning and the cruelty of the method in setting that minimum.
Why did the Cheema poisoning case draw widespread public attention?
Observers highlighted both the rarity of aconite-based murder in the UK and the extraordinary steps Singh took to obtain bikh abroad. The case also resonated because of the long, complex personal history between the two, including Singh's three children and her husband's ongoing cancer treatment.
More in Poisoning by Drugs, Medicaments and Biological Substances 1-24
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