Long days, sleepless nights deepen scars of accident victims’ kin

Aneesha Sareen

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 17

Chandigarh is beautiful, but it has an ugly side too. A number of lives have been snuffed out in road accidents over the years. Grievous and brutal, the accidents have scarred many lives and maimed thousands of commuters. The deceased cannot be brought back, but what remains is the continuous suffering of the family members of the victims whose lives have been wrecked following the mishaps. The pain continues to linger on... failing to subside with time. The sufferers cry in agony, feel bouts of depression and loneliness, thinking about the sudden loss of their loved ones.

Coping with the loss that devastated them 

"Our life is not the same anymore. The accident has deeply impacted Paramjit's two children who have been orphaned. My grandson remains confined to his room and less. His studies have been affected badly. My granddaughter too remains quiet. The loss is irreparable," said 73-year-old Gurcharan Singh, who lost his daughter-in-law Paramjit Kaur in a freak accident on January 24, 2015. Gurcharan's son Harjinder Singh died of brain haemorrhage in 2006. The mishap has devastated them. Forty-two-year-old Paramjit Kaur, who was a teacher in Guru Harkishan Model School, Chandigarh, was crushed to death after being hit by a Punjab Roadways bus at the Badheri roundabout near Sector 40. The victim was heading towards Mohali when the bus hit the scooter from the rear near the roundabout. She died on the spot.

Paramjit's daughter Manpreet Kaur, a BTech student at Landran, was celebrating her 19th birthday with her friends when she learnt about the accident. "The phone call changed her life forever. At loss for words, she rushed to the PGI…her mother had died in an accident and the news left her shell shocked," recalls a friend. A widow, Paramjit, was working hard to raise her two teenaged children 19-year-old Manpreet and 14-year-old Harkaran. Harkaran studies in Class X at Guru Harkrishan Public School, where his mother was a teacher. "The mother-son duo used to go to school together on a scooter and on return, Paramjit used to come alone on a two-wheeler," says Gurcharan Singh. But Life moves on: The two children are staying with their paternal grandparents in Mohali. While their grandfather is 73 years old and does not keep well, their grandmother is a heart patient. "Her two children have lost the biggest support of their lives. Both are grief-struck. My two other sons are settled abroad and we want the children immigrate there so that they can move on with their lives," says Gurcharan.

Freak car crash:  Trail of gory memories

"My son died eight years ago. The pain does not let me sleep. He would have been 33 years old by now. I still feel he will return some day. He left suddenly and could not realise his dreams. It is destiny and the families are left with no other option, but to come to terms with it. Beautiful memories of my son are there to cherish, but these are overshadowed the memories of the accident that destroyed everything in a second," said Ramnik Sekhon, mother of Karam Sekhon, who died in an accident along with two others in a freak car crash on February 5, 2007.

Three promising youths on the threshold of their career were killed in a tragic car accident near the Sector 3 roundabout. Six occupants of a Honda City car couldn't navigate the roundabout on the road separating Sectors 3 and 4 in the darkness following which their car rammed into the rotary, killing three of them instantly.

Karam Sekhon, Gurjesh Virk and Arjun Bhardwaj, all under 30, were killed when the car rammed into the rotary. Tears well up her eyes as Ramneek Sekhon, mother of deceased Karam Sekhon, recalls the tragedy and the trauma faced by the family when they first heard the news of the mishap.

Karam Singh Sekhon settled in Canada after completing his MBA. He had come to India only a month ago then. Sekhon was the eldest of the two sons of his parents. His father was a senior officer in PUDA before he joined a private company.

Unending ordeal: Elderly couple battles loneliness

"The dead cannot be brought back, but seeing the accused finally held guilty after a long battle with the system can only provide some solace to us. We are still waiting for justice.. it has been a long wait.. we have been running from pillar to post for justice ever since we lost our only son," said Balwinder Singh, father of Gagandeep Singh Bhullar, who died after being hit by a speeding car driven by sub-inspector (SI) Jaspal Singh Bhullar in Sector 22 on June 27, 2009.

It has been a lonely struggle for Balwinder Singh and Gurvinder Kaur as the UT Police initially closed all doors and refused to lent them any ear after the mishap. The case was closed as the police failed to act against the SI and made their dead son as the accused in the case. The couple moved the High Court, which marked an inquiry to the Haryana Police and passed strictures against the UT Police for inaction. Following a report by the Haryana police indicting the SI, the case was finally registered in 2012. "We ran from pillar to post and no senior UT police officer ever lent us an ear. Our statements and also that of the eyewitnesses were recorded after over six months. Investigation of the case was transferred from the Crime Branch to the Special Cell after Bhullar filed an application with the IG seeking case transfer. It seemed as if the entire top brass was hell bent on shielding the sub-inspector," said Gurvinder, deceased's mother.

"I last spoke to my son that morning. He was so happy and looking forward to going abroad. He was hard working and intelligent. I was so proud of him. He never troubled me and was so caring," she said. "He was  innocent, never said anything to anybody, we are now left alone and daily grieve at what destiny has brought us," she said. The case is currently pending in the court.

Four lives snuffed out

On August 29, 2011, in a tragic accident, four friends in their mid-20s, including an Army Captain, were killed, while two others sustained injuries after their speeding Tata Safari vehicle rammed into a tree near the cricket stadium roundabout on the Sector 22/23 dividing road soon after midnight. The six were returning from a party and were en route to drop a friend in Sector 22 when the accident took place. 

All deceased were unmarried and aged between 24 and 26. Three of the deceased were the only sons of their parents.

The deceased were identified as Prabhpreet Singh (driver of the Safari), Captain Ranjot Singh Sandhu, Ramandeep Singh and Abhinet Pal Singh. The police said all four deceased suffered grievous head injuries and died on the spot.

The victim’s family members said all six friends had first gone to attend a party at a restaurant in Sector 35, after which they then went to Sukhna Lake, a regular Sunday feature. They were returning from the lake when the mishap took place.

A tyre burst was said to be the reason for the mishap.

Death on Madhya Marg: Treasuring memories of the loved one

"It is his memories that will live with us forever. His study room in the house has been kept alive, his books he was so fond of…. his photographs are all intact. The room in the house is still unoccupied, we feel he is still there lost in his books and chatting with his friends. Memories are forever," said advocate Rakesh Bhatia, uncle of DAV student Arsh Bhatia,who died in 2012.

On July 28, 2012, IAS officer Keshni Anand Arora, her daughter Revati and driver Dinesh were in a Honda City car when they were hit by a Chevrolet Beat car, which jumped the median on Madhya Marg and landed atop their vehicle from the other side of the road. While Arsh Bhatia, seated in the Chevrolet car, was killed, Keshni Anand Arora, Revati and Dinesh were injured. Damanbir Singh, who was reportedly driving the Chevrolet Beat car at high speed from the Matka Chowk side suddenly applied brakes while trying to avoid hitting an auto-rickshaw. As the car axle broke, the car spun out of control. It hit the road divider and was tossed about 12 ft into the air before it crash-landed on the Honda City car on the other side. Arsh Bhatia had suffered fatal injuries as a result of the impact. He was 18 years old and a bright student. He had taken admission to BCom (first year) at DAV College. He was a healthy and energetic boy and aspired to become a chartered accountant. 

A horrific tragedy: Return if possible, says family

Sachin Garg (30), a software engineer, died in a hit-and-run accident. The police have not been able to solve the case to date," said brother Rahul. He was hit by an unidentified vehicle at the road dividing Sectors 20 and 21. He had left for his brother's coaching institute in Sector 36 in the morning to hand him his breakfast when the accident occurred. Sachin's motorcycle was hit by a recklessly driven vehicle."Bhai.. you are with me all the time.. you have been an inspiration always. I don't want to believe you left us like this.. please come back.. please.."- WhatsApp status of Sector 27 resident Rahul Garg who lost his elder bother Sachin Garg in an accident on May 3, 2015. The 18-month-old son of Sector 27 resident Sachin Garg screams 'Papa Papa" on seeing his photograph. Oblivious to the tragedy that has shattered his family, the son, Saaransh, hopes his father will return home one day to play with him like every day. The grief-struck family of Sachin Garg includes his parents, wife Anjali Garg, 18-month-old son Saaransh and his younger brother Rahul Garg, who runs a coaching institute in Sector 36.

"He spoke to me at the GMCH-32 after the mishap and said he was fine. He had only one wound near the abdomen. The doctors at that time told us it is not that serious and he will be safe. However, after three hours we were informed that he is no more," said Rahul Garg, who also alleges a foul play and medical negligence behind the death. "The police have been lending a deaf ear to our troubles. I had filed an RTI application to find out more about the accident and whether there was delay on the part of the police. SHO of the Sector 19 police station Maninder Singh told me that he would help me only if I withdrew the RTI. I have been running from pillar to post and filing RTIs to know more about the death, but to no avail. It has been a lonely struggle," said Rahul Garg, who also suspects that some persons who threatened them could have claimed the life of his brother.

The pain only worsens with time: Sachin got married only three years ago. His wife Anjali hails from Ambala. A doting husband, son, brother and a father -- Sachin was the lifeline of the entire family. The tragedy has shaken the family's life forever and they are finding it hard to cope with it. 

Joyride that snatched their son and the slow death they are dying every minute

"One phone call I received 10 years ago shattered my life. The words that my 17-year-old son is no more were shocking, the trauma unbearable and the grief agonising in every way. He was my only son and was killed as he was fascinated by a bike. Life cannot be the same for parents. My son's death was a strong message to society to teach children to realise their responsibility and not to give in to thrill," said Umesh Kapoor, Sector 11 resident, who lost his son. A teenager, Sanjog Kapoor, was returning from his tennis coaching classes on August 25, 2005, when he got a call from his friend who had just got a new bike. Sanjog, while taking the ride was thrilled by the speed and failed to intercept the roundabout in Sector 11. He banged the bike into it, unable to balance it. With his head mutilated, he was declared brought dead at the PGI. It has been 10 years, still the family has not been avle to come to terms with the tragedy. Umesh Kapoor said the pain of losing a loved one in an accident was unbearable. Sanjog Kapoor was a bright, good looking and versatile teenager. A budding tennis player at DAV College, he eyed the nationals.

Speed kills: "Momentary happiness and thrill of riding a bike killed my son," said Umesh Kapoor. "My son was on a joyride and it was speed that killed him. We need to educate our children to be responsible," he said. Sanjog has an elder sister who resides in Canada.

Holiday horror: A trip that shattered three families

On July 23, 2013, three persons, including a driver and two college students from Vaishali in Ghaziabad, were killed while two others were injured in a freak accident involving a Tavera and an Audi Q7 car on the road separating Sectors 17 and 18. 

A group of four friends had gone on a vacation at Dharampur, Himachal Pradesh. On Sunday night, they had booked a cab for Sector 17 bus stand, Chandigarh, to catch a Volvo bus for Delhi. All four students were residents of Vaishali in Ghaziabad.  While the cab was heading towards the Sector 17/18 light point, an Audi coming from the front took a wrong turn and rammed into the Tavera.

The driver of the Tavera, 34-year-old Hast Bahadur, a resident of Dharampur, along with two students occupying the rear seats, identified as 22-year-old Sahil Juneja and 19-year-old Kuldeep Singh, both residents of Ghaziabad, died on the spot. While Sahil was pursuing BBA from a college in Ghaziabad, Kuldeep was a BTech second-year student.

Sixteen major accident-prone areas

Based on the rate of fatal accidents, the UT Traffic Police have identified 16 accident-prone light points in city. The light point of Sector 46/47/48/49 has reported the maximum number of road accidents over the years. Eleven major road accidents (in which FIRs were lodged) were reported at this point. A recent study by the traffic police revealed that the Sector 51/52 crossing on Himalyan Marg, Colony No. 5 on Vikas Marg, Hallo Majra Small Chowk, Transport Light Point to Fun Republic Light Point and near the railway station are the most accident-prone areas with over 35 per cent of the mishaps occurring on these roads. A traffic police official said the traffic entering the city was usually at high speed and which was the reason why Vikas Marg and outgoing Panchkula road were accident-prone. Accident data reveals that more than 50 per cent of the total vehicles involved in the accidents -fatal or non fatal- bore the numbers from other states namely Punjab and Haryana.

Deadly collision