Family Spent ₹40L to Send Young Sikh Trucker Abroad, Now Pleads for Mercy

The family of Jashanpreet Singh, a 22-year-old Sikh trucker who allegedly caused a deadly crash in California last month, is in a state of shock and disbelief. Jashanpreet, who was reportedly under the influence of drugs, smashed into multiple vehicles, killing at least three people.

Jashanpreet's relatives in Purana Shala village of Punjab's Gurdaspur district describe him as an "Amritdhari (baptized Sikh)" who was disciplined and god-fearing, claiming the incident must have been an "unfortunate accident, not negligence." His mother, Jasveer Kaur, is pleading with everyone she sees at her doorstep, saying, "Save my son."

The family had spent nearly ₹40 lakh, much of which they had borrowed, to send Jashanpreet to the US via the illegal "dunki route." They say he went abroad only to support his family back home and build a better future, not to harm anyone. Jashanpreet's father, Kulwinder Singh, who works as a school bus driver, can barely speak as relatives and villagers visit to console the family.

Farmer leader and social activist Ranjit Singh has urged both the Central and Punjab governments to take up the matter with US authorities and seek leniency for Jashanpreet.