An eerie silence prevailed in Takhtu Chak village following the death of ex-army man Gurpreet Singh in an alleged police encounter in Uttar Pradesh, leaving behind a grieving family and several unanswered questions.
Gurpreet’s body reached the village on Thursday and was cremated the same day amid tight security and sombre scenes. Family members, still in shock, were largely reluctant to speak about the incident that has shaken the entire household.
“We still cannot believe what has happened,” said a woman relative while sitting quietly outside the family home. “He served in the Army and later went to Bihar in search of livelihood. We never imagined his name would be linked to crimes such as serial killings,” she said.
The motive behind the alleged killings continues to remain unclear.
While most villagers chose to remain tight-lipped, some residents, requesting anonymity, claimed that Gurpreet had not been in sound mental health and was undergoing treatment.
His sister-in-law said the family was still unable to reconcile with the allegations that he had killed three persons across hundreds of kilometres.
She added that Gurpreet was deeply attached to his children and often spoke about ensuring a better future for them. “He always wanted to provide every possible facility to his children,” she said.
According to family members, financial constraints had forced Gurpreet to move out of Punjab in search of employment. He had reportedly gone to Bihar to work as a security guard. Police investigations suggest that two victims were allegedly killed while travelling on trains, while a third woman was murdered at a hospital.
A villager standing near the bus stop said many youths from the village worked in Gujarat, Bihar, Maharashtra and other states for multinational companies. “Like others, Gurpreet too had gone outside Punjab in search of employment,” he said.
Former sarpanch Avtar Singh said Gurpreet and his two brothers lived close to each other in the village, while his brothers worked as truck operators in other states. “Gurpreet used to coach village youngsters in sports. Nothing unusual was ever noticed about his behaviour,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gurpreet’s wife was admitted to hospital after her health deteriorated following the incident. His father, Tarsem Singh, was also unwell and resting at home as the family struggled to cope with the tragedy.
