Coroner leaves Mangere Bridge deaths file open

Police should not close the file on the death of a woman who threw her baby from the Mangere Bridge before jumping to her death, the Auckland coroner has ruled.

In an unusual move, coroner Mate Frankovich yesterday gave the media access to evidence from witnesses who saw Sarabjit Kaur throw baby Kamaljot Mann, then herself, from the bridge in June.

Sarabjit Kaur had been arguing with her husband, Baldev Singh, before running from the house and going to the bridge. She was 29 and her baby was 10 months old.

In cases involving suicide, the information cannot be reported unless the coroner gives permission.

During the inquest yesterday, Mr Frankovich ruled that Sarabjit Kaur would probably have been culpable for baby Kamaljot's death had she survived, and that her own death was self-inflicted.

"The [case] file should remain open. Conclusions can be drawn by anyone who reads the depositions," he said.

The deposition evidence from members of Sarabjit Kaur's family, who lived with her and Baldev Singh, gives a harrowing account of the dead woman's unhappy and abused life.

The couple's marriage was arranged six years ago. They lived in Onehunga and ran a dairy, a takeaway shop and a fruit and vegetable store.

Sarabjit Kaur's mother moved from India to live with her daughter a year after the arranged marriage.

In her evidence, she told police that she had been in New Zealand about 10 days before she first saw Baldev Singh beating her daughter. She said he was angry because he wanted more money from her family as a dowry.

While she lived with the couple, the mother saw Baldev Singh slapping and punching Sarabjit Kaur, throwing her into walls and pulling her hair.

In one incident, he dragged her inside from the front porch of their house, punching and slapping her with such force that they slammed into the door and broke it.

"I would ask him why he was beating her all the time. Baldev would always answer by saying if I told the police or any of his Punjab friends that he would kill my daughters and me," she said.

"He would say Sarabjit was his wife and he could do what he liked with her."

The mother also told police about Baldev Singh slapping her younger daughter so hard that blood came out of her ear and she went temporarily deaf.

A doctor's certificate the Herald obtained says the daughter suffered a perforated eardrum after being hit in the head, and needed surgery.

On the night Sarabjit Kaur jumped 19m to her death, her sister Kuljinder Kaur followed her to the bridge, pleading with her to come home.

She initially told police she had never heard Sarabjit Kaur and her husband argue, and that she had not felt tension between the couple.

But the next day she gave another statement and said that on the night of the deaths she had heard the couple arguing and seen them physically fighting.

On the bridge, Sarabjit Kaur told her sister she was going to jump and kill the baby, and suggested she jump, too.

The younger woman said she tried, but was stopped by passersby.

When questioned by police, Baldev Singh said he had never hit his wife, even in self-defence.

"She was a good wife. I was more than happy with my wife."

The police said they would not be prosecuting anyone in connection with the two deaths.