‘Our role model is gone’: Inside the home of Malad train stabbing victim

Singh, a resident of Kurar Village in Malad (East), had been working at the NM College for the last two years. He had lived in Malad since childhood with his uncle Sunil Kumar Singh, a retired BMC schoolteacher.

Singh entered the teaching profession seven to eight years ago, beginning his career at an international school in Andheri.

While teaching, Singh completed his BEd and cleared the state government’s Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). Before joining NM College, he worked as a lecturer at a Malad-based college, teaching mathematics to Class 11 and 12 students. Last year, he was appointed a permanent lecturer at NM College.

“He was selected in two colleges as permanent lecturer in Thane and Vile Parle but he preferred to work in NM College in Vile Parle and accepted the offer,” said Singh’s relative.

Singh’s father, Anil Kumar Singh, is part of the security detail of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and was in Delhi for Republic Day parade preparations when he was informed about his son’s death. Singh had married two years ago and his wife is pursuing BEd.

“All members of this family are well educated, most of them in teaching profession, either here in Mumbai or in UP. It is impossible to believe that any of them could get into in such an altercation which could lead to fatal attack,” said a family member.

The entire Pratap Nagar Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA) building in Kurar Village mourned the untimely death of Alok Singh, who was known in the community as a gentle-natured person, a dutiful son and a loving husband.

On Sunday afternoon, as Singh’s body was brought to the premises residents of the nearly 20-storey building gathered in silence — some standing with the family in the quadrangle, others watching from their windows.
His sudden death under shocking circumstances left the neighbourhood in disbelief.

Sadhna Singh, a resident of the building, said, “We often held him up as an example for our sons on how to behave. He was always so respectful toward others. I cannot fathom how someone so soft-spoken could be fatally attacked over an altercation on a local train.”

She added,
“After his marriage, he had set another benchmark on how to be a loving and respectful husband.”
His wife, 28-year-old Pooja Singh, an aspiring teacher, was inconsolable, repeatedly asking family members how she would go on with life. It had been only two years since the couple got married.

“Pooja was from our native in UP. While preparing for B.Ed., Pooja was also taking online tuition classes,” added Sadhna.

Neighbours recalled how Singh had celebrated his wife’s birthday at midnight on Friday with a cake and children from the neighbourhood.

“Sunil Kumar’s daughter is also a school teacher. Whereas a few other cousins are teachers either in Mumbai or in UP. The family emphasised deeply on the education of children, irrespective of the gender,” said a relative who travelled from Lucknow.

Kapil Patil, former MLC from the Mumbai Teachers Constituency, who visited the family, said the tragedy reflected rising stress among commuters.

Kripashankar Singh, former Minister of State for Home, said, “Mumbai has seen gang-wars and other related issues. But the general public was never in harm’s way, especially in local trains. A person who resorts to such an attack has to be abnormal in some way.”

Almost the entire staff of NM College, including principal Dr Parag Aajgonkar, visited Singh’s residence to pay their respects.

“This is unbelievable and extremely saddening to know that a person of such a gentle nature should die like this. Forget about talking back to anyone, he would never even raise voice in the classroom,” said one of the faculty members.