For over 45 years Sujan Singh had made Kathmandu his second home. He earned his bread in the Himalayan Kingdom by slogging hard in his youth. And as he grew older he went on to set up his own Punjabi dhaba in Sundhara area, close to the Dharahara tower.
On Saturday morning when the powerful earthquake flattened most parts of Nepal and left over more than 2,000 people dead, the 183-year-old iconic tower also crumbled, killing over 250 visitors.
In the close vicinity of the tower, where Punjabi dhaba served mouth watering dishes to visiting tourists, a 45-year-long journey of this self-made man hailing from Miran Sahib area of Jammu, also came to an abrupt end.
City of his dreams became his deathbed. He along with his elder son Parvinder Singh, whom he had called from Jammu to share his burden were both buried alive under the debris.
According to official sources, their bodies were recovered from under the debris on Sunday.
Back home in Jammu after hearing the news of the devastating earthquake in Nepal the entire family was glued to their television screens since morning but failed to trace them.
Due to poor communication links when they were not able to get in touch with their family members a family member received a phone call from Kathmandu which dealt a deadly blow to their fading hopes of survival.
In Jammu the wailing members of the family, including pregnant wife of Parvinder Singh, his mother are in a State of deep shock. Married less than two years ago Parvinder has left behind eight-month-old son and younger brother.
The entire village assembled at their house on Sunday to offer their condolences.
Sujan Singh's younger son Karanjit Singh, said, "My father was running a Punjabi dhaba in Sundhara area of Kathmandu for over four decades and his elder brother was also assisting him." He said his father spoke to their mother before earthquake.
He said they both visited their family in Jammu at regular intervals during the year. "They were here a month ago and left us with a promise to visit again after the summer," a close relative said. The extended family members shared their grief with the media and appealed to the State/Centre Government to expedite return of their bodies to perform last rites.
BJP legislator Dr Gagan Bhagat also visited the family and offered condolences.