Chandigarh: A Punjab family has alleged a conspiracy in the mysterious disappearance of their son, after receiving a purported death certificate through the village sarpanch, even as they remain unsure whether he is alive or dead.
The missing youth, Lakhbir Singh, a resident of Jagdev Kalan village, was sent to Dubai in April 2024 along with his wife with plans to later move to Italy for work. His father, Desh Singh, said the family spent around ₹18 lakh — raised by selling land — to send the couple abroad through an agent.
However, the agent allegedly fled with the money, following which the family asked the couple to return to India in September 2024. A day before their scheduled return, the father claims, the daughter-in-law forcibly took Lakhbir somewhere, and later returned alone, stating that he had gone missing.
The family alleged that during their stay in Dubai, the daughter-in-law had her relative threaten Lakhbir and prevented him from returning to India. Initially, she told the family that Lakhbir was being searched for, and later claimed he was in jail due to possession of objectionable material, assuring them of his release.
The father further alleged that the woman returned to India after about a month but went directly to her parental home and filed for divorce without informing the in-laws. Since then, the family has had no confirmed information about Lakhbir’s whereabouts.
Recently, the family received a death certificate via the village sarpanch, which they have termed suspicious. They also claimed that the woman has since remarried, and the certificate was sent just days before her second marriage.
Lakhbir, a national-level volleyball player, is remembered by his family through the medals and trophies displayed at their home.
The family has demanded a thorough government probe into the matter, stating that they still do not know whether their son is alive and are seeking clarity on his fate.
