An injured student with her father at the civil hospital in Jagraon. — PTI photo

Moga, December 14
An eerie silence fell on a large number of people gathered around the Civil Hospital to express sympathy to the aggrieved families of six whose bodies were brought to conduct autopsy here today.

Shocked family members were unable to control their tears and gloominess descended on the ever busy main road, where the hospital is located.

Puran Singh’s sufferings knew no bounds as his two grandsons -- Tikka Singh, 12, and Chinda Singh, 14, perished in the collision between a speeding Satluj Express and a mini bus. Earlier his son Satnam Singh, father of the two, passed away few years ago.

Kuldeep Singh, a relative of Gurpreet Singh, 19, came to receive the body as his father Gurcharan Singh could not garner courage to arrive here. Studying at Government Senior Secondary School, Dhudike, Gurpreet used to travel nearly five km from his house by bus.

Harpal Singh, husband of Harjit Kaur, 37, was aghast to learn that his wife passed away in the accident. Inconsolable Harpal said his wife was returning from Jagraon after meeting their daughter, who recently gave birth to a child.

Left: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal speaking to an injured child at the Civil Hospital in Jagraon; PPCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (right) consoling family members at Chuhar Chak village in Moga on Friday. — Tribune photos by Malkiat Singh

Governor mourns dead
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 14
The Punjab Governor, Gen (retd) S.F. Rodrigues, has expressed shock over the accident on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur line, in which 16 persons were killed.

General Rodrigues has asked the Red Cross Society and NGOs to extend necessary medical relief to the injured and other help to the kin of the victims.

He conveyed his heartfelt sympathies to the members of the bereaved families.