Farmers Movement Archive

Singhu border killing: Victim father of three girls; relatives seek financial help

New Delhi: Lakhbir Singh, whose body was found at the site where the farmers are protesting at Singhu border on Friday, was the father of three daughters and had a troubled married life. The 36-year-old Titu, as he was also called, worked as a farm labourer but was believed to be a drug addict. His wife, Jaspreet Kaur, has lived at her matrimonial home for five years now with their three daughters, Tanya, 12, Sonia,10, and Kuldeep, 8. Titu lived with his aunt, Mohinder Kaur, with his widowed sister, Raj Kaur. Balkar Singh, one of the victim’s relatives, said Titu hailed from Kalas village in Tarn Taran and his father Darshan Singh had died around six years ago. “He took drugs and would steal to arrange for his next dose. It was due to his addiction that people refrained from hiring him for work at their houses, farms or other places,” said Balkar. Wondering how a person who was always inebriated had managed to reach Singhu, Balkar said, “He could not have gone there on his own. Somebody must have lured him with drugs or money.” While Jaspreet Kaur refused to speak to the media, Balkar said: “The government has to now think of his family and expose the persons behind his killing.” The deceased’s sister, Raj Kaur, claimed Titu used to interact with unknown Nihang Sikhs. She said she had no idea that he had gone to Singhu. “On October 13, he told us he was going to the grain market and since we had no news of him till today morning,” she said. Balwinder Singh, SHO of Punjab Police’s Sarai Amanat Khan police station, said Lakhbir didn’t have any criminal record and the cops could not confirm either the 36-year-old man was actually a drug addict. “We don’t have any cases registered against him. But people say that he used to consume bhang and other intoxicants,” the SHO said.

The Times of India

2021-10-16

Delhi