Chandigarh:
Family members of two Punjabi men, who were killed by unidentified persons in Paris on Friday night, have sought the help of the state and Central governments to get their bodies back to India and for action against the killers.
According to the family members, Mandeep Singh (23), resident of Dhaliwal village in Kapurthala district, and Jaspal Singh (34), from Takipur in Sangrur district, were killed by fellow Indian migrants in a dispute over money.
Another Indian was injured in the attack and was admitted to a hospital.
"Mandeep went to France around five years ago as an illegal immigrant. But later he settled there and was earning well. One of his friends called from Paris and informed us about this tragedy. He said that some other Indians had killed Mandeep and Jaspal over an issue of money," said Sukhdeep Singh, elder brother of Mandeep.
"We urged the Punjab government and the external affairs ministry to intervene in this matter and help us to bring back the bodies. They should also make sure that the culprits should be immediately arrested," he added.
Jaspal Singh, an electrician and a permanent resident of Italy, had come to Paris to work at a construction site. He is survived by his wife and two sons, who live in his village in Punjab.
"Jaspal had planned to come to India this December. He had to take his wife and sons to Italy. Now we have lost all hopes and want our government to help us," said Sohan Singh, Jaspal's father.
Kumar Rahul, deputy commissioner of Sangrur, said: "We have written to the Indian embassy in France. We will provide every possible help."