‘No queries please’: Kin of 2 returnees avoid media

Broken and shattered, family members of Manpreet Singh, one of the US deportees, have closed the doors of their house for those enquiring about him.

Two men from Nawanshahr — Manpreet and Saveen — were deported from the US and their families are avoiding the media. “Do not come here. We will not open our doors. We are not comfortable talking about anything related to Manpreet,” said the deportee’s sister.

Manpreet’s relative Umrao Singh, a farmer, had earlier said they were being hounded by the media, which was making them uncomfortable. “Dimag kharab hoya peya (I am upset). Everyone is disturbing us,” said Umrao Singh. Even the villagers are now avoiding going to their house. One of the locals, who did not want to be named, said, “Vaddi satt laggi hai parivar nu (the family has suffered a major setback).”

When the media visited their house to ask about Manpreet, the family members claimed that he was not inside and had gone to his relatives’ place. Saveen is from Behram in Nawanshahr. His family also avoided speaking to the media. He had also gone to the US in January.