Nepal earthquake: Father, son die as iconic tower collapses

When Sujjan Singh, 65, and his son Parvinder, 30, called Paramjit Kaur here over phone from Nepal enquiring about her health on Saturday morning, the latter never thought that she was talking to her husband and son for the last time. The father and the son died in the earthquake that shook Nepal and parts of India nearly 15 minutes later.

While Sujjan Singh has left behind his wife Paramjit, three married daughters and an unmarried son Robin, son Parvinder is survived by his pregnant wife Balwinder Kaur and a six-month-old son. The father-son were calling Paramjit here almost daily from Nepal as she was not keeping well for quite some time.

The women are inconsolable as none of them is prepared to believe that her husband is dead. Last time Balwinder talked to her husband Parvinder was on Friday evening when the latter had called her to enquire about her and his son’s well being. Both talked for quite some time discussing about their son.

Sujjan Singh had been running a Punjabi dhaba in Sundara area of Kathmandu in Nepal for the past 40 years. He was taken there by his elder brother Balwant Singh. After the latter’s death, Sujjan took along with him his eldest son Parvinder Singh, leaving behind his wife Paramjit Kaur, daughter-in-law Balwinder Kaur and youngest son Robin at their home in Jammu’s Simbal Camp area.
With their death, the family has lost their source of livelihood as both were the only breadwinners. Robin, 18, is a matric drop out and unemployed.

Paramjit, who was talking to her husband Sujjan Singh till 10.30 am on Saturday, lost contact with him when news about tremors shaking Nepal started pouring in. Robin told The Indian Express. “We became apprehensive when we saw pictures of the collapsed Dharahara (Bhimsen Tower),” he said, recalling “my mother started saying the tower appears to have fallen on our hotel. However, confirmation came only by 6 pm on Saturday when one of my uncles rang up to say that both Sujjan and Parvinder were dead,” he added.

Until Sunday, both Paramjit and Balwinder did not know that Parvinder was dead. “We had told them only about my father,” Robin said. “However, as my uncle Manjit Singh left for Nepal, we decided to inform them about Parvinder’s death too.”

Source:: Indian Express