Train-van collision claims lives of four members of a Sikh family

Neighbours of deceased break into tears after learning about sudden death of their loved ones

PESHAWAR:

In an unfortunate development, four members of a family belonging to Peshawar's Sikh minority community have lost their lives in a tragic train incident in Sheikhupura, a district in Punjab.

At least 20 Sikh pilgrims died and several others sustained injuries when a train crashed into a passenger van at a railway crossing near Sacha Soda on Friday.

The family members include three brothers – Kaka Singh, Papinder Singh, Jai Singh – and wife of Papinder.

The neighbours of the ill-fated family, including students of the Jai Singh, broke into tears after they learned about the tragic incident.

According to the Sikh community, the family members went to Nankana Sahib to condole the death of a relative.

According to the neighbours, Jai Singh for the last 10 years had been teaching religious music to the students at a Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's capital and also volunteered his services for the Sikh community.

Ravendar Singh, a resident of Mohalla Jogan Shah, told The Express Tribune that the sudden death of their community members took everyone aback, saying that there is hardly any house in the neighbourhood whose family member is not among the victim.

"We have been living here together for decades like one family and the entire Sikh community is deeply saddened over the death of their community members," he added.

Train related accidents are common in the country, where the railways have seen decades of decline due to corruption, mismanagement and lack of investment.

Secretary-General Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Sardar Amir Singh said the deceased belong to three or four families.

Peshawar is home to most of Pakistan’s nearly 40,000 Sikhs.