Bathwala (Gurdaspur), June 8
Terrified women-folk from Madhya Pradesh remained confined to their temporary cottages throughout the day even as a pall of gloom descended on the brick kiln in this non-descript village due to the suicide committed by three young sisters by jumping before a speeding train yesterday morning. Nobody attended work today.

The site has virtually become a ‘killer track’ as 11 persons were killed on the spot, a few yards away from here at Baryal two years back.

The three sisters, Gayatri (20), Switeri (18) and Ratbai (13) had come here along with their father Jethu Ram, in February this year along with 10 more families from Madhya Pradesh to eke out their livelihood. Though the migrant labourers are tight-lipped about the background of Jethu Ram yet some of the Punjabi labourers who pleaded anonymity, alleged that he (Jethu Ram) had come here along with his kidnapped cousin, Chhand Bai (she is reportedly his third illegitimate wife).

Mr Roop Lal, a Munshi of the brick kiln, said the rest of the labourers from Punjab were not aware about any dispute in the family which might have forced the girls to take the extreme step as all the 10 migrant families from Madhya Pradesh had been accommodated in separate enclosure of cottages in the brick-kiln premises itself. Due to language barricades the Punjabi labourers would hardly intermingle with the migrants. However, one of the migrant labourers who did not want to be quoted alleged that the girls were feeling suffocated due to unbecoming behavior of their alcoholic father and step mother. Salamat and Mohinder, both Punjabi labourers, said they came to know about the sordid incident about 6.30 am from the driver of the train.

According to Ratt Ram, Kunj Ram and Komal, all labourers from Madhya Pradesh, Jethu Ram was their ‘Jamadar’ (contractor) who had brought them here in the month of February. However, they refused to give the details of the family background of Jethu Ram. The women-folk said the three sisters used to work at the brick kiln for a paltry sum but they were not given a single penny by the father. The sisters were not even given proper meal as Jethu Ram used to spend most of the earning of the entire family on liquor etc. The mother of the deceased sisters had died long ago.

Raj Kumar, a chowkidar of the brick kiln, said he had no knowledge about any dispute in the family which had forced the girls to jump before the train.