Amritsar grenade attack: Routine Sunday visit to Dera turns into nightmare for three families

All three deceased, Sandeep Singh of Rajasansi, Kuldeep Singh of Bagga Kalan village and Sukhdev Kumar of Meerankot in Amritsar, were sitting in the front row when the grenade was lobbed inside the prayer hall by an unidentified assailant.

READ | ‘There was smoke all around the  hall with people screaming for help’

The Dera’s head Guru Desa Singh, who too sustained injuries in the attack and was admitted in hospital, was delivering spiritual discourse at the time when attack took place.

Sukhdev Kumar who is one of the preachers at Nirankari Bhavan, was sitting close to the stage and was the first one to be declared dead. His wife Praveen, was on duty in the kitchen.

“People from nearby villages too come here to participate in Sunday prayers. It is a routine affair for most of them. It is unbelievable why anybody would attack us as we only spread love and affection in the society through the teachings of our ‘Mahapurush’ (saints of the Nirankari sect)”, Praveen told The Indian Express.

Sukhdev is survived by his wife, mother and a daughter who lives in New Zealand. He was also working as a cloth merchant.

An inconsolable Mehakdeep who lost his brother Sandeep, a Class 9 student of Guru Harkrishan School, was also waiting to receive his brother’s body.

ALSO READ | Complete failure of state, Centre, says AAP

“Sandeep was sitting in the front row near the stage. I was sitting in the rows towards the entry of the prayer hall. I realised that something went above my head and landed near the stage. Suddenly, there was a blast and the hall was filled with smoke. Our family is a staunch follower of Nirankaris. Every Sunday, we come here and participate in prayers. I, Sandeep, my wife and our mother had come here this morning. We run a shop in Amritsar and had been following the Dera for last 15 years”.

“Chaos prevailed after the blast. Everybody was running out of the hall. I started searching for Sandeep and found him unconscious. His leg was badly injured. I and a few others rushed him to the nearest private hospital. The doctors declared him dead,” Mehakdeep told The Indian Express.

Sarabjit, wife of the third deceased Kuldeep, rued not going to the Dera with her husband. “I always accompany Sarabjit to the Dera, every Sunday. But, today I was ill and could not get out of bed. Kuldeep brought me medicine and went alone to the Dera”, an inconsolable Sarabjit said.

Kuldeep, who hailed from Bagga Kalan village near Rajasansi, worked as a mason and is survived by his mother, wife, three married daughters and a son.