E-Paper
Punjab: Ferozepur man injured in Pakistan’s drone attack dies
Lakhwinder Singh, 55, is second civilian casualty of cross-border drone strikes by Pakistan in Punjab. His wife, Sukhwinder Kaur, 50, had died on May 13 after sustaining 100% burns in May 9 incident.
Lakhwinder Singh, 55, one of the three members of a family injured in a Pakistani drone strike at Khai Pheme Ki village in Punjab’s border district of Ferozepur on May 9, succumbed to his injuries at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in Ludhiana on Tuesday night.
Lakhwinder is the second civilian casualty of the recent cross-border drone strikes carried out by Pakistan in Punjab. His wife, Sukhwinder Kaur, 50, had died on May 13 after sustaining 100% burns in the incident. Their son, Jaswant Singh, 24, who was injured in the legs from the drone debris, has recovered.
Ferozepur additional deputy commissioner (general) Damanjit Singh said Lakhwinder had suffered 70% burns after debris from a Pakistani drone, intercepted by India’s air defence system, fell on their car sparking a fire that injured the family of three.
“Lakhwinder Singh and his wife Sukhwinder Kaur were rushed to DMCH after the incident. Now an executive magistrate will bring back Lakhwinder’s body to his native village for the last rites,” Damanjit said.
“A case for ex-gratia grant for him as per state government norms will be presented to the authorities and shall be dispersed accordingly. The state government will bear his entire medical expenses,” the ADC added.
The attack, which occurred around 9pm on May 9 in the border village, 12km from Ferozepur, is the first in which civilians sustained injuries in Punjab.
It was part of a broader series of drone incursions from Pakistan that targeted 26 locations across north India, including multiple attempts thwarted in Ferozepur and Fazilka districts. Security agencies are probing the incident with senior officials confirming that most drones were neutralised before causing damage.
The family was given financial assistance of ₹10 lakh by the chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann after Sukhwinder’s death.
