BATHINDA: The swearing-in of Bhagwant Mann as Punjab chief minister at Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s ancestral place of Khatkar Kalan reunited a poor family with its lost son after seven years.
It was a happy occasion for AAP but happier for the family of Davinder Singh of Faridkot district’s Sher Singh Wala village. His son, Jaswinder Singh, came out of his hiding on Tuesday night, a few hours before Mann’s landing at Khatkar Kalan, to do the job of pitching tents at the venue. Disappeared at the age of 20, he has reappeared at 27.
Seven years ago, he was a runner preparing for army recruitment.
Three days ago, police asked him for ID while collecting the details of those who’d be working at the swearing-in site. He had no papers, so the cops checked with Faridkot police and that’s how Sadiq police reached the family at Sher Singh Wala.
At the house, they found his father, Davinder Singh, doing casual labour, and took him to Khatkar Kalan with members of the panchayat. They had difficulty recognising Jaswinder, for he had cut his hair, but they were thrilled to find him alive. Davinder Singh, who is also father of three daughters, said: "It’s the will of God."
Jaswinder said that his quest to join the Army had taken him to Amritsar, where he had found job with a popular tent house.
Jaswinder’s employer won the contract of pitching the tent at Khatkar Kalan for the swearing-in ceremony. Jaswinder has been at the tent house for more than six years and he had been working at the Khatkar Kalan venue for five days.
