Woman injured in Pak drone attack dies; husband, son critical

Sukhwinder Kaur (60), a resident of Khai Pheme Ki village, who was injured in a swarm drone attack by Pakistan on Friday night, succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ludhiana.

The incident took place three days ago when a projectile from a Pakistani drone, which was destroyed mid-air by the Army’s air defence system, fell onto a car parked outside their house in the village situated on the outskirts of the cantonment here. The impact triggered an explosion which was intensified as the car’s CNG cylinder caught fire, leading to a huge blast.

As per information, the drone attack was aimed at the Army installation in the cantonment, but missed its target and went towards the adjoining village.

Sukhwinder Kaur, her husband Lakhwinder Singh and their son Monu (25) were seriously injured and rushed to a local private hospital, from where Sukhwinder and her husband were referred to Dayanand Medical College (DMC), Ludhiana, for advanced treatment.

The incident created panic and anguish among local residents.

Gurjant Singh (20), the younger son of the couple, had died in a road accident three years ago.

Box or parrallel story: Rs 1 cr, martyr status demanded

Emotions ran high as family members of Sukhwinder Kaur refused to cremate her body while demanding her to be declared a martyr, besides a compensation of Rs 1 crore as ex gratia. The family members, supported by the village residents and various farmer outfits, kept her body on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road and blocked it for vehicular traffic.

BJP leader Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi also met the family members at their residence. Sodhi said he would soon meet the Union Defence and Home Minister and discuss the matter with them.

Meanwhile, the CM later in the evening, in a posting on X, enhanced the earlier aid announced by him from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh to the victim after adding an equal amount announced by AAP MP Sanjeev Arora. Later, Ranbir Singh Bhullar, MLA, along with officials, reached the dharna spot and assured the crowd that the state government would look into all their demands, following which the dharna was lifted.