Sandeep Singh: Gurvinder Singh Led A Simple Lifestyle Before Being Killed In Lakhimpur Kheri

Maskeen believes that the doctors seemed to be under pressure as they conducted the postmortems of four farmers within 30 minutes

Sandeep Singh
Oct 11. 2021 | 3.5 min. read | Original Reporting

On October 3, Gurvinder Singh, 18, called his father, Sukhwinder Singh, seeking permission to go attend the Farmers’ Protest in Tikunia, Lakhimpur Kheri. His father, who was out of town in the Jaunpur district, gave his son the go-ahead.

Later that evening Sukhwinder Singh would receive another call, this time from his family informing him that his son was injured and he should come home immedaitely. It was when he arrived that he learned that his son was the youngest victim of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. 

Ashish Mishra, son of the BJP’s Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was recently arrested for his alleged role in the attack that killed four farmers and injured many others. 

Baaz spoke with Sukhwinder Singh as he came back from collecting his son’s ashes.

“It had been four days since he died so we cremated him early morning today. My son’s interests ranged from farming to spirituality. He had built a hut in our fields where he used to worship God. Gurvinder Singh was a follower of Baba Shri Chand.”

Singh’s family had moved from Giddarbaha of Punjab’s Ferozpur district to Uttar Pradesh in 1972. 

Gurvinder Singh’s uncle, Maskeen Singh, claims how he used to live an extremely simple lifestyle. 

“He used to carry only a small black bag in which he used to keep two pairs of clothes, a brush, and soap. He used to say that he is a fakeer and he does not need much to live.” 

Maskeen Singh shares that Gurvinder Singh had no interest in making money and acquiring other material things.

“Once we bought him a phone but he refused to keep the phone saying he doesn’t need it.”

Since his death, Gurvinder Singh’s videos of him delivering speeches demanding Minimum Support Price for farmers have gone viral and it has been said that he was extremely active in the Farmers’ Protest. 

According to Maskeen Singh, he was informed by at least 50-60 eyewitnesses that Gurvinder Singh was shot dead by Ashish Mishra. 

“Gurvinder was standing when a car mowed down his friend Daljeet Singh, which made him furious and then he caught Ashish, also known as Monu. However, he was not aware that Monu had a weapon. Monu took out his pistol and shot him. Then Gurvinder fell and Monu Mishra fled.  According to eyewitnesses, that is when Gurvinder Singh himself was crushed under a car as well.”

Maskeen Singh shares that his nephew’s entire body was crushed. 

“When Rakesh Tikait came, we told him that we want Ashish Mishra arrested and his father Ajay Mishra sacked from Union Cabinet.  We were promised by top police officials in presence of Rakesh Tikait that an autopsy of Gurvinder would be done in presence of two doctors, two representatives of the administration, and two family members. But not even a single promise was fulfilled.”

Expressing his disappointment with the government, Maskeen Singh claims that he was not allowed to enter the postmortem ward and an autopsy was done in just seven to eight minutes. 

Maskeen believes that the doctors seemed to be under pressure as they conducted the postmortems of four farmers within 30 minutes.  

“There was no mention of a bullet in the report so we were shocked as we had seen a bullet mark on his head. I had sensed that doctors were playing a game with us under the influence of the Minister and they were trying to make our case weaker.”

Gurvinder Singh’s family informed Tikait, who in turn told them that he will do whatever he can to satisfy the family.  Then a second autopsy was conducted. However, the family has been informed that there was no gunshot trace.  

While Maskeen Singh trusts both farm leaders and Sikh organizations to fight for them, they remain cautious in expecting justice from UP’s Yogi Adityanath BJP government. The offer of compensation is not enough, according to the family. 

“What we can do with the money? Compensation is secondary and justice is primary.  We would have got compensation anyway as it is our right. It is not about money but justice.” 

Maskeen Singh recalls how the local Punjabi community had helped Ajay Mishra when he first became an MLA. He had a reputation as a gangster before entering politics. 

“We were the ones who supported him when he became an MLA for the first time.  I used to live in his assembly constituency with my relatives when he had won the election. He put his hand on my shoulder and said that he would do something for the youngsters if we helped him in getting elected.  All Punjabis did in indeed help him in getting elected, and this is how he paid us back.”

Sandeep Singh hails from Machhiwara, Punjab. As an independent journalist, he has worked with many prominent Indian news organizations. Sandeep has been following the farmer’s protest in Punjab since its onset and traveled with them to Delhi. He spends most of his time at the Singhu border protest site. You can follow Sandeep on Twitter @Punyaab

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