Fazilka road mishap: Job, marriage and death; Tejinder Kaur had it all within a fortnight

It seems quite true in case of 26-year-old Tejinder Kaur, one of the victims of the tragic road mishap in the district that left 13 teachers and a driver dead after a truck collided with a jeep they were travelling in on Friday.
Tejinder, a resident of Fazilka, got her appointment in a government school into the masters’ cadre just a fortnight ago. The news of her appointment could not have come on a better time as she was to get married two days later. And as scheduled, she got wedded to Amanpreet Singh of the same town who works with HDFC bank.
Newly married Tejinder, with a government job in her kitty, would not have asked for more in life before it was cut short by this fatal accident.
The tragedy also brought a sombre note in the family of music teacher Sukhjit, 24.
Sukhjit, a resident of Mahavir Colony, Fazilka, was appointed as a musician in the Government Senior Secondary School, Guru Har Sahai, just two months ago.
Sukhjit was well known for his singing skills, especially in the genre of ghazals, among the music lovers of the region.
Married a year and a half ago, Sukhjit had experienced tragedy earlier too when he lost his two-day old son, according to sources close to his family.
A HUMBLE ‘ACHARYA’
Another victim of the accident was Hindi teacher Ashish Kataria, who was popularly known as ‘Acharya’ among his colleagues and friends. Before being appointed a teacher five years ago, he ran a grocery shop.
“None could match Ashish in his simplicity and humility. He was a true picture of a God-fearing man. His entire family is religious-minded and the way his folks were calm and composed even today speaks of their unflinching faith in God,” said Gurinder Singh, an old friend and colleague of Ashish.
Ashish is survived by his wife and a six-year-old son.
DISABLED COUPLE LOSES 29-YEAR-OLD BREADWINNER SON
Another victim, Sanjeev, 29, was the only offspring of his physically challenged parents. A resident of Shatterwala village in Fazilka, he was a Hindi teacher and the only breadwinner in the family. He was a very sociable man and was ever ready to help anyone among his friends, colleagues or neighbours.
Another Hindi teacher, Manohar Lal, who was posted at the Government High School, Pindi, in Guru Har Sahai, lost his life in the incident. He was also the main breadwinner in his family. He leaves behind wife and two sons, aged 16 and 10.
SHE COULDN’T SHIFT TO HER NEW HOUSE
Another victim, Bindiya, 30, was admired not only in her school but also the locality she lived in. She was known for motivating youth to get proper education for a better future and used to help underprivileged students with books and study material.
Her husband was also a school teacher and the couple was supposed to shift to their newly constructed house next month. The house had been under construction for the past four years.
She is survived by a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter, besides husband.
Physical training instructor (PTI) Nazam Singh, a resident of Killianwali village, had filed a case in the high court to secure a government job. He was married one-and-a-half years ago and is survived by a three-month old son, besides wife and old mother.
Another victim Natasha, 30, a native of Balluana village, had secured government job just 15 days ago. She was married three-and-a-half years ago and had a daughter, aged two-and-a-half years.
Sunil alias Sonu, the driver of the jeep, has been working as a driver for the past many years. He is survived by a daughter and two sons.
SOLE SURVIVOR
The sole survivor of the tragedy, Gopi Chand, 42, is admitted in the Faridkot civil hospital. He suffered internal injuries. He was in a state of shock and was unable to speak much about the incident.
He was recruited as an ETT teacher in December 2006 and is posted at the Government Primary School at Chak Ghubahi village in Ferozepur district.
CHEEMA ORDERS ACTION AGAINST 11 TEACHERS WHO SOUGHT TRANSFERS
Punjab education minister Daljeet Singh Cheema, who visited the aggrieved families of the road accident on Friday evening at Fazilka, took cognisance of the grave insensitivity of the 11 teachers, who appealed to him for transfer during such a grave occasion and asked the DPI (schools) to issue show-cause notices to them.