Fifth body recovered, gurdwara sealed

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, June 14

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team today retrieved the fifth and last body from the debris of partially damaged Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Pehli Patshahi on the National Highway-1 in the city this morning and concluded the rescue operation. The district authorities have sealed the gurdwara premises and the surrounding roads till further order.

“The body of Devinder Singh was pulled out of the debris around 4.30 am. Later the NDRF team inspected the gurdwara premises and the debris with sniffer dogs and gadgets,” said Dr Chander Shekhar Khare, Deputy Commissioner.

After clearance from the NDRF, Samalkha DSP Naresh Ahlawat along with his team inspected the structure and sealed it. The police have been deployed at both ends of the gurdwara.

“The gurdwara and its surrounding roads have been sealed till further order because the structure may fall any time,” he added. The bodies have been handed over to the bereaved families after post-mortem at the general hospital this morning.

Surjeet Singh, a relative of deceased priest Devinder Singh, got angry when members of the gurdwara management committee reached the mortuary. He alleged that, “The gurdwara management committee members are responsible for the tragic incident. Had they not made changes in the pillars of the gurdwara, the lives of five persons could have been saved”. DSP Aatma Ram and SHO of city police station Suresh Kumar pacified the angry relatives of deceased Devinder Singh.

Suresh Kumar said all bodies were handed over to the bereaved families after post-mortem.