A joyous wedding celebration in Ludhiana turned into an unimaginable tragedy, culminating in a scene that left the community heartbroken. A three-year-old boy, Madhav, was forced to shoulder the solemn responsibility of lighting his father's funeral pyre.
A Son's Final Farewell
Madhav, the young son of 32-year-old hosiery businessman Vasu Chopra, performed his father's last rites on Monday at the Bajwa Nagar crematorium. His father was one of the victims of a fatal shootout that erupted at a wedding function. Witnesses described how the child, guided gently by an older relative, went through the motions of the ritual, seemingly unaware of the profound finality of his actions.
The emotional weight of the moment was overwhelming for everyone present. Relatives, neighbours, and friends fought to control their tears as they watched the little boy consign his father's body to the flames. The grief of the immediate family was particularly acute. Sheetal Chopra, Vasu's wife, stood silently crying, holding her younger son while watching her eldest perform the rites. The victim's mother was inconsolable, repeatedly pleading, "Mainu apne naal le ja Vasu" (Take me with you, Vasu).
Autopsy and Political Backlash
Earlier on Monday, a board of three doctors at the Ludhiana Civil Hospital conducted the post-mortem examination of Vasu Chopra. The body was then taken for the final rites. The tragedy has ignited significant public anger, directed at local political figures.
Several political leaders, including Central Constituency MLA Ashok Prashar Pappi, Ludhiana district Congress president Sanjay Talwar, ex-MLA Surinder Dawar, and ex-senior deputy mayor Sham Sunder Malhotra, who attended the cremation, faced the ire of residents. Women at the cremation ground openly accused them of patronising the criminals believed to be behind the shooting. Sources indicated that the suspects involved in the incident have political connections, fueling the community's outrage.
Calls for Action and Regulation
The incident has raised serious questions about law and order and the influence of criminal elements. A relative of the deceased made a fervent appeal for stricter regulations and security measures at marriage palaces to prevent such violent incidents in the future. The family's personal tragedy has thus become a flashpoint for broader civic concerns.
In a poignant detail that underscores the loss, relatives shared that young Madhav had been asking to call his father the day before the rites, confused by his absence. The image of a child performing a ritual meant for adults has become a powerful symbol of the devastating cost of violence, leaving a deep scar on the Ludhiana community.
