Twenty-one-year-old Amanpreet Singh had his life planned out. He was going to complete his studies, become a lawyer, make his father proud and then after two years get married to the girl of his dreams.
On Wednesday, the city woke up to the horrific news that a bomb went off in the reception area of the Delhi High Court. Nine casualties were reported initially. Amanpreet's father got a call from his mobile. The caller was not his son. “Your son is injured. He is in the hospital. He is going to be alright and no, you can't talk to him right now,” said the caller who identified himself as a policeman.
The family rushed to the hospital and waited for hours, growing more frantic with each passing minute. “There was this nice nurse who kept telling the family not to worry,” said Sheena, his close friend. “He died before the surgery took place. They told us it was from trauma and not from any injury.”
His friends and family recall that he was a nervous type, but extremely conscientious and a brilliant student. “His school scores were around 98 per cent but he was never a show off, he was always working hard and volunteered for religious duties,” said a neighbour.
“I am going to become an advocate and show you what I am capable of and then you can think of getting me married -- he kept saying this to his father,” said Jasmine, his 15-year-old cousin, adding that it was this challenge to his father that motivated him to go to court on that fateful day.
“He had not slept well and was moving slowly. His mother asked him not to go but he did not want his father to think he was being lazy.”
The grievously injured in the blast were the people waiting to collect entry passes to the court. Amanpreet, however, was interning with a High Court lawyer and usually had free access because of his black frockcoat that is usually donned by lawyers. He had forgotten his coat at home that day. “He remembered the coat on his way to the court but he was sleepy, tired and frightened of being late so he did not turn back for it,” added Jasmine
Amanpreet's immediate family consisted of his parents and younger bother.
“Karan was trying to be strong. All the elders were crying but he did not shed a tear. Then came Amarpreet's body . We all saw holes near his ribs; half of his face was disfigured. We were all shocked, Karan finally broke down…now he is inconsolable” said Sneha his teenage brother.
Amanpreet's extended family included his father's four brothers and their children and they either live in the same building or are close neighbours.
His cousins fondly called him Shampi and he was technically the eldest as his older cousin lives abroad.
“Shampi was always joking around and teasing me but he was never mean,” said his ten-year-old cousin Simrin, who was on holiday in Amritsar when the news reached her.
Golden Temple
“We had been planning this big trip to the Golden Temple. It was in the morning and we were in the taxi and on our way when my father got the call from Delhi. They said Shampi was just hurt but my father started crying and I just knew he will die,” she added, saying that seeing all her relatives cry all the time has convinced her that Amanpreet will never come back. “I understand what the meaning of a bomb blast carried out by terrorists is. Shampi is gone forever, just like my grandfather whom I don't remember but I will never forget Shampi.”
