21-year-old found dead in car in Sidhwan Canal

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 16

The body of a 21-year-old youth, Harjapneet Singh, was found in the Sidhwan Canal near Isewal on Friday. The youth, who was a student of the All Saints Institute of Medical Sciences and Research near Loharan, was missing since December 13 night.

The body was found in a Pulse car (PB 10-DY4310) which fell into the canal. It was only after the police called divers that the car was traced. Harjapneet was pursuing a physiotherapy course from the institute.

His father Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Country Homes West near South City, said his son left home at 8 pm on December 13 in his car saying that he was going to return an ATM card of his friend. Later, at 9 pm, when he tried to call his son, his mobile phone was found to be switched off.

On December 13, Sarabjit Singh said, a missing complaint was lodged at the PAU police station and when the police traced the call details of his son, the last call was found to be made to a girl, who was his college friend and was living at a paying guest accommodation in Ludhiana. The girl is a native of Nangal.

She told the police: “I was with Harjapneet in his car on December 13. He suddenly lost control over the vehicle which fell into the Sidhwan canal. As we both were drowning, he opened the rear door of the car and pushed me out saying he will come out easily as he knows swimming. I came out and saw some boys standing on the road. They started teasing me, but later dropped me at my PG.”

The family has not suspected the role of the girl behind the incident so far.

A distraught Sarabjit Singh appealed: “I urge residents to kindly inform me if they noticed anything suspicious on December 13 night near the canal, where my son drowned with the car, at my mobile number 98761-41616 or at the PAU police station so that if there is any culprit behind my son’s death, he could be nabbed.” PAU SHO Devinder Sharma said further investigations were on.