Punjab man confirmed dead in Telangana tunnel collapse, family's hopes dashed | Chandigarh News - The Times of India
Cheema Kalan (Tarn Taran): After 17 days of desperate waiting, the family of Gurpreet Singh was devastated to learn that he had not survived the tunnel collapse that had trapped him and seven others in Telangana's
Nagarkurnool district
.
The 40-year-old machine operator was among those caught when a section of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel gave way on Feb 22. His body was recovered on Sunday, shattering the family's last hopes. He leaves behind his wife, Rajwinder Kaur, two young daughters, and his elderly mother. With the sole breadwinner of the family gone, they now face an uncertain future, relying on govt assistance for survival.
Rajwinder Kaur said: "For the past 17 days, I prayed at the gurdwara, hoping he would return home. Today, I am told his body is coming instead. I don't know how I will raise my daughters and care for my mother-in-law." Her daughters, students in classes VI and X, now face a bleak future without their father, so she has appealed to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann for govt support, urging authorities to provide her with a permanent source of income to help sustain the family.
A somber mood engulfed the village as relatives, neighbours, and members of the local panchayat gathered at the family home to offer condolences. Pargat Singh, a relative, said the village panchayat had sent representatives to Telangana to monitor rescue efforts. The grim news of Gurpreet Singh's death reached them on Sunday, with his body now being transported back to Punjab.
Local resident Manish noted that Gurpreet Singh's father, Virsa Singh, had passed away recently, making Gurpreet the family's sole provider. The Telangana govt has offered the family
financial aid
of 25 lakh rupees, but the family still awaits compensation from Gurpreet's employer. Manish urged the Punjab govt to chip in with additional support. As the village prepares to receive Gurpeeet Singh's remains, his family is left grappling with loss and uncertainty, hoping for govt intervention to help them rebuild their lives.
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