Punjab: Two siblings' bodies found in gurdwara sarovar in Muktsar; families suspect foul play
PTC Web Desk: In a tragic incident, the bodies of two siblings were found in sarovar (sacred pond) of a gurdwara sahib in Gidderbaha, Muktsar, Punjab. The family is suspecting a foul play.
The deceased have been identified as Sahil Kumar (10) and Khushpreet Kumar, sons of Rajendra Kumar. They had been missing since Sunday evening. Their uncle, Pappu, has suspected a foul play. He said had the boys entered the sarovar on their own, their clothes and slippers would have been left outside, which was not the case. The bodies also did not have signs typically associated with drowning, such as bloated stomachs.
According to Pappu, the boys had gone out to play with neighbourhood children and later visited a nearby fair. When they did not return home by evening, the family began searching for them. Other children who were with Sahil and Khushpreet reported that the boys were last seen sitting in a nearby park. Despite repeated searches in the park, the boys were not found.
The family reported the boys' disappearance to the police on Sunday evening. By Monday morning, the police had joined the search efforts. They initially searched the park and then extended their search to Gurdwara Sahib Patshahi 10. Witnesses at the gurdwara mentioned seeing two children entering the premises.
On the basis of this information, the police conducted a thorough search of gurdwara sahib. They noticed something floating in sarovar, which turned out to be the body of one of the boys. Later, the second boy's body was also found in the sarovar.
It is learnt that the boys' parents are separated, with their mother having remarried. The children lived with their father, Rajendra Kumar, who sells vegetables for a living. Sahil was in Class 6 while Khushpreet was in Class 5.
The Gidderbaha police have sent the bodies to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination and have initiated an investigation into the suspicious circumstances of their deaths. The police are also reviewing nearby CCTV footage to gather more information.
- With inputs from our correspondent
