Families of both brothers unite to cope with loss

They cooperate with the probe, but have not lodged a complaint against anyone, say cops

The families of both brothers have maintained a silence over the Chattarpur tragedy, and avoided the investigators.

“They are cooperating with the probe, but have not approached us with any complaint against anyone. They have no grievances against anyone and they want to move ahead,” says a senior police officer.

Members of the families of both Ponty Chadha and Hardeep Chadha have showed a united face, be it during the cremation at Lodi Colony or the prayer meeting at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib.

On November 18, the family members of both brothers waited for Ponty Chadha’s body for cremation when police took back his body into their custody after a botched-up autopsy led to the deferment of the funeral.

Police, insisting on a second post-mortem, had taken back Ponty’s body after AIIMS doctors informed them that they had not removed three of the bullets. The family members stayed calm and waited for the body to be brought again so that they could cremate both brothers together.

“The two brothers were cremated on the same ground at the same time,” says Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Paramjeet Singh Sarna.

Similarly, Prakash Kaur, mother of Ponty Chadha and Hardeep Chadha along with Ponty’s wife Lovely Chadha, grandson Manpreet and his wife Sanamdeep, Hardeep’s wife Jasdeep Chadha and her two sons, Bikramjeet and Adhiraj, and daughter Japneet Kaur entered Gurdwara Rakabganj together, showing unity among the family members.

They have put up a brave face despite the fatal confrontation between the two brothers. A relative of Chadha’s family say they are jointly trying to overcome the loss. “It is a big loss for them, but the family members of both brothers are living under the same roof and trying to console each other,” says Sarna.

Indian National Lok Dal chief Om Prakash Chautala, who attended the prayer meeting, says, “This is a sorrowful incident. The family members are very fine people and living together. We are with them in this tough time.” 

The investigators say that during the questioning too the family have showen unity, claiming they have no differences among themselves.