“Not just accident but murders..”: On way to poll duty, teacher couple dies as car plunges into drain

Bhullar was posted as English master at Government High School, Khote village, in Nihal Singh Wala, Moga district, while Kamaljeet was a physical education teacher at Government Girls High School, Patto Hira Singh village, also in Nihal Singh Wala tehsil. However, Kamaljeet was assigned poll duty in Baghapurana tehsil.

Bhullar was a native of Mansa but lived with his father-in-law in Dhurkot village of Nihal Singh Wala. The couple is survived by two children: a son and a daughter.

Bhullar’s brother Sukhdeep Singh, also a science teacher in Mansa district, said, “Only yesterday I spoke to him and he had asked me the location of my poll duty. He had met with a terrible accident in 2023 also and a part of his skull was damaged due to which he was exempted from poll duty this time. The children don’t know yet that their parents are no more.”

Video | On way to Punjab zila parishad poll duty, teacher couple dies after car plunges into open drain @divya5521 reportshttps://t.co/CjwKiTw4gC pic.twitter.com/yl48n1hgNJ

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) December 14, 2025

Teacher unions blamed the Punjab government and the State Election Commission (SEC) for the incident, and alleged that despite them constantly flagging the issue, women teachers were assigned poll duties in far-flung areas, and due to lack of adequate arrangements for overnight stay at their assigned locations, women teachers had to return home Saturday night and undertake long travels to polling stations in the wee hours Sunday.

“Most women teachers travelled long distances in foggy conditions Sunday morning as there were no arrangements for their safe overnight stay. So they returned home late Saturday and travelled again to the assigned locations in the morning. Two children have been orphaned due to the negligence of the administration,” said a teacher, who was Bhullar’s colleague and close friend.

A woman teacher who was on poll duty said, “This is not just an accident, but murders committed by the administration. Teachers were threatened with FIRs and forced to join poll duties at faraway stations. They had no option but to report.”

The couple’s colleagues alleged that there was no safety railing or barricade along the boundaries of the open drain where the car plunged. (Express Photo)

The couple’s colleagues also alleged that there was no safety railing or barricade along the boundaries of the open drain where the car plunged.

Nearly 1 lakh teachers are on zila parishad poll duty across the state.

The Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) and the Elementary Teacher Unions (ETU) said that the incident happened due to the “gross mismanagement” of Punjab zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls by the State Election Commission and the Punjab government.

Vikram Dev, state president of Democratic Teachers Front, said that the union had already flagged several times that at least women teachers should not be assigned poll duties, and even if they are, it should be within their blocks to avoid long travels. “There were no arrangements for overnight stay of women staff at their polling stations on Saturday night due to which they returned home and again travelled Sunday morning,” he said.

“The government must find a solution to this, and issue appropriate compensation for the couple’s children,” said Harjinder Pal Singh Pannu, state president of ETU.

Meanwhile, expressing grief, CM Bhagwant Mann wrote on X. “Our very dedicated teachers.. met with an accident this morning due to dense fog while going for election duty. Both of them are no longer with us. The government will take full responsibility for the education of both their young children… May the Almighty grant eternal peace to the departed souls.”