Farmers Movement Archive

He couldn’t have gone to Singhu border on his own, say kin of deceased

Cheema Kalan (Tarn Taran): Lakhbir Singh alias Titu, whose hand was chopped off in Taliban-style punishment allegedly by a Nihang group at Delhi’s Singhu border, was father of three young girls and worked as a farm labourer. The 36-year-old was a drug addict, according to his family. His relatives, neighbours and villagers couldn’t believe what had happened to him at farm protest site. Now, they say, they expect the government to not only to arrest and punish his murderers but also extend financial help to his wife and three daughters. One of the relatives of Titu, Balkar Singh said here that the victim hailed from nearby Kalas village and his father Darshan Singh had died about six years ago. “He was in the habit of taking drugs and would steal anything from the house to arrange the next dose. Due to his addiction, people were not willing to hire him,” he said and added that Titu never harassed anyone. Titu’s wife Jaspreet Kaur had left his house around five years ago with their daughters Tanya, 12, Sonia, 10, and Kuldeep, 8. Titu was now living with his aunt Mohinder Kaur and his sister Raj Kaur, whose husband Manga had died about nine years ago. Balkar wondered how the victim managed to reach Singhu. “He couldn’t have gone there on his own, somebody must have allured him with drugs or money. He is just not capable of going all the way to Singhu border on his own,” he claimed. Titu’s wife refused to speak to media. His uncle Balkar added, “He is gone but now the government should think of his family and expose the persons behind the incident. They should also find out how they managed to take Titu there.” His sister Raj Kaur said that Titu was with some Nihangs in the area but she didn’t know that who were they and where he had gone. “On October 13, he left home saying that he was going to the grain market. There was no news of him till today morning,” she said. SHO Sarai police station Amanat Khan Balwinder Singh said there was no criminal record of Lakhbir Singh but it was rumoured that he was a drug addict. “We don’t have any case registered against him, now people say that he used to consume bhang or some other intoxicant,” he added. He confirmed other details related to the family.

The Times of India

2021-10-16

Chandigarh