Granthi, four daughters end lives
by jumping into canal
Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, June 10
Mr Harnek Singh (48), a gurdwara priest living near Jyoti Swarup Sahib gurdwara Sirhind, his wife Rajinder Kaur (45), four daughters and a son jumped into Bhakra Canal near Sondha village today morning with the intention of ending their lives. Ms Rajinder Kaur and son Paramjit Singh (11) were saved by villager Jaswinder Singh, but Mr Harnek Singh and his four daughters died. A tiff between the family of Mr Harnek Singh and his father Hardial Singh (75) was said to have caused the tragedy.

According to Mr Shiv Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Harnek Singh with his wife Rajinder Kaur, daughters Jagdeep Kaur (22), a student of BA final, Amandeep Kaur (20), a student of BA II, Hardeep Kaur (17), a student of Class XII , Sukhbir Kaur (14), a student of Class IX at Baba Dyal Puri College and Sirhind City school and son Paramjit Singh (11), a student of Class VII of MG School, Fatehgarh Sahib, in their car (No PB-49-3057) went to Bhakra Canal near Sondha village at 6.30 am. The family removed their shoes and went near the canal bank.

Mr Devinder Singh former Sarpanch of Sondha village who was working in fields, thought the family was taking photographs of the canal. But the family after some consultations jumped into the canal. He raised the alarm and villagers gathered to save the family. Mr Jaswinder Singh of Sondha village, jumped into the canal and saved two members of the family — wife of Harnek Singh and his son Paramjit Singh. The SSP said the police had recovered a suicide note from the car and as per the four-line note, they committed suicide due to harassment from Mr Hardial Singh, father of the deceased. The police has registered a case against Hardial Singh.

Mr Rajinder Kaur said the family was fed up with harassment by Hardial Singh. She said that they were a Gursikh family. She said today morning the family first went to Jyoti Swarup Sahib Gurdwara and then to Fatehgarh Sahib Gurdwara offered “Degh” and performed Antim Ardas for the family then drove to Bhakra Canal and took off their shoes and again performed “Ardas” there and jumped into the canal all. Mr Amarjit Singh , a neighbour said that the family was nice and Gursikh and visited gurdwara daily and he never heard about any conflict or fighting in the family. He said they were surprised to hear about the suicide.