A woman constable of Punjab Home Guards was stabbed to death, allegedly by her uncle, at her house in Kila Mohalla on Tuesday afternoon. The accused was caught by area residents as he tried to flee after the crime.

Constable Neelam Rani (36) was posted at the Division Number 8 police station. Mother of a 17-year-old son, she was reportedly separated from her husband.

Sources in the police said Neelam had a property dispute going on with her father’s brother Balwinder Singh. Around 3.30 pm, the sources said, Balwinder came to her house and stabbed her after an argument. As Neelam tried to put up resistance, he sustained bruises in the process, they added.

After killing Neelam, the sources said, Balwinder tried to flee from the spot, but a few residents of area who had assembled after hearing her cries overpowered him and handed him over to the police. Balwinder was taken to the Civil Hospital for medical examination.

Division Number 4 SHO Kuldeep Singh said they had initiated the process to register an FIR against Balwinder.

He said it was yet to be ascertained if the murder was planned or the accused killed Neelam in a fit of rage.