'We have lost backbone of our family', kin mourns finance ministry officer killed in crash

New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) The living room of Navjot Singh's residence was filled with muffled grief, the air heavy with disbelief. The 52-year-old deputy secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, known within his family for his intellect and dedication, had been killed when a luxury car crashed into his motorcycle near Dhaula Kuan on Sunday afternoon.

Singh's wife, who was admitted to the intensive care unit after suffering multiple fractures and a head injury in the accident, is stable and recovering now, the family said.

"After Operation Sindoor, Navjot went to the United Nations to deliver a speech. He handled the Korea, Japan and China desks, and was part of the crew that went to Japan for the bullet train talks," said Sandeep, Singh's best friend.

Singh's professional life was marked by achievements that his grieving parents and relatives spoke of with pride. "He went on tour with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to Spain and on May 1 this year. He also represented India at the United Nations, speaking before 178 countries on private sector financing. He gave meaningful suggestions, including simplifying loan procedures for developing countries," recalled his father, a retired air force officer.

Singh, they said, had been a diplomat at heart.

"He was such an intelligent person; he stood first in his BSc Honours. We have lost the backbone of our family," Singh's father said in a low, firm voice, while his eyes betrayed the depth of grief.

His mother, barely able to hold back tears, remembered the last call. "When the doctor called me from Navjot's phone, I thought it was him. The doctor said there had been an accident. We never imagined it was this big. We have lost the backbone of our family," she said.

Neighbours and relatives surrounded the elderly couple, some chanting prayers and others with words of consolation. The women sat with Singh's mother, holding her hands as she reeled from the loss, while the men gathered near his father, who remained shocked and expressionless.

"Had he been taken to a proper hospital, maybe he would have been still alive," relatives echoed what the family repeatedly stressed.

Sandeep said the sequence of events after the crash has left them shaken. "The BMW hit them from behind near Dhaula Kuan, they were taken 25 kilometres away to a small clinic in Mukherjee Nagar. I don't understand why, when there were so many big hospitals like AIIMS, Trauma Centre and Primus within 5 kilometres?" "Instead, they were hauled into a small commercial vehicle and taken to a clinic that was barely one room. Navjot's wife was gravely injured, with multiple fractures and 14 stitches on her head, but she was not given any injection or medication for pain. She is now in the ICU at Venkateshwara Hospital in Dwarka," Sandeep added.

He further alleged that the clinic was connected to a relative of the woman driver of the BMW and was located opposite a police station. "It looks like a conspiracy between the police and the clinic owner to 'take care' of the accident," he alleged.

Singh's sister voiced the same anguish. "The BMW driver killed my brother, the only hope for our elderly parents. Our father is 86 and our mother is over 80. Had she taken him to AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia or the Army Hospital, maybe his life could have been saved. Even if we excuse her for the accident, she should have thought of saving their lives rather than covering it up." The hospital, however, defended its handling of the case. A senior consultant said a medico-legal case of a road accident was brought in on the night of September 14. "A man in his fifties was brought dead on arrival, while his wife had multiple injuries but her vitals were stable," she said.

"We administered first aid, informed the police, and on the family's request, allowed them to shift her to another hospital. Two other patients, the car's occupants, were also treated. One was discharged after observation while the other was referred to a higher centre. Every patient is important to us regardless of who they are, and we treat them according to emergency medical standards," the consultant said, extending condolences to Singh's family.

For Singh's parents, the words brought little comfort. "My neighbours' in-laws live near that clinic. They told us it was the worst possible place to take an accident victim to. I was in the air force, I know. This was manipulated so they could escape. They killed my son," Singh's father said, his voice breaking at the end.

The incident has shaken not just the family but also the close-knit neighbourhood, where friends and relatives gathered through the day, some trying to calm the elderly parents, others simply sitting in silence, sharing their grief.

Meanwhile, police said the woman who allegedly drove the BMW, identified as Gaganpreet Kaur (38) of Gurugram, was arrested on Monday. She was taken into custody after being discharged from the hospital and was later formally arrested.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) said a case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rash driving, acts endangering life, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing disappearance of evidence. The luxury car and the two-wheeler have been seized, and forensic examination of the accident site has been conducted.

At Singh's home, his 21-year-old son sat quietly, still struggling to process the loss. He had just celebrated his birthday a few days ago, and was at home when the news came of his father's death. Relatives tried to comfort him, even as his mother is recovering in the hospital.

Singh's parents recount his laurels for consolation, nevertheless the weight of his absence leave them grief-ridden. As relatives and friends keep visiting the house, one question hangs in the air: Had Navjot Singh been taken to a proper hospital on time, couldn't his life have been saved? PTI SGV BM SGV RUK RUK