Pardeep Singh Rattan

Hi my name is Rashpal, older sister of Pardeep Singh Rattan who passed away 20 years ago on 5th March 2004 at the age of 22.

My brother was a a fun loving, high spirited young man with a great career in the Police and life ahead. He was studying Criminology at the UCE University in Birmingham (now BCU) but in his last year of his studies and to support his career aspirations he became a Special Constable for the West Midlands Police.

This was a dream come true for him as he got a taste for the police force and wanted to build his career eventually working in the CID. He loved this and would tell me great stories about the way he helped people and loved working with the local community.

In February 2004, he went on a family holiday with my mum and older brother to India where he travelled to many locations and was having a fantastic time.

On the last night of his trip, my two brothers and a few members of the family went for an evening dinner in Delhi. On the way back to our relatives house he met with a road accident. He was travelling on a motorbike as a passenger with one other relative.

The accident was with a HGV truck on a quiet side road. The front rider with my brother died instantly. His name was Jasdeep Singh, another young man with a family and a young girl aged 2. My brother endured severe head injuries and fell to the ground off the motorbike but still conscious. Many people gathered around but no one helped by calling emergency services.

My older brother eventually flagged down a car who took both my younger brother and the deceased Jasdeep to the local hospital. My older brother was trying to get him admitted whilst holding him up in a queue to get him a bed and seen as an emergency. By then my mum had arrived at the hospital where the hospital admissions demanded money for a bed and oxygen and before he was seen to. This was nearly a delay of an hour by then.

Eventually he was admitted where they carried out tests and a MRI, he was then taken into theatre immediately discovering a bleed on his brain. Shortly after he passed away. Whilst awaiting his test and before theatre, he kept saying to my mum "I want to go home, mum take me home". He never made it home alive. But we knew we couldn't complete his last recites in India. I received the call of the news and was devastated but helpless.

After his death, it got worse. As this was a road traffic accident the police were involved, they arrested the HGV driver, the person responsible of the two deaths, in which we discovered that he was drink driving and taking drugs to keep him awake whilst driving long hours. They had a breathalysed test from him at the scene and a drug report. The next day or so my brother and uncle went to the police station where they had arrested the driver and ceased the truck from his accident. However the police put his down to an unfortunate accident and even tried to blame my brother who had alcohol in his system discovered from the hospital report, which never mattered as he was a passenger. Till today the driver has never been convicted of the cause of two deaths.

In India due to the facilities at the time and weather they cremate the deceased the next day. As his last wish was to go home, we decided to not do his funeral in India but to bring him back to the UK where his last recites would be done amongst family and friends.

He was flown home 4 days after his death and taken to the Mortuary in Leeds where we grew up. On the day when his body arrived to the Funeral Directors, we were asked to identify him. This was the worst day of my life. I didn't recognise him. You could see the pain on his face and looked distressed and not peaceful. The blood on his face and around his ear and neck wasn't cleaned up. His post mortem cut on his neck and torso wasn't clean and had dried blood to it. I can't explain the anguish I have with this image. It stays with me everyday.

Finally we were glad he was home and we could fulfil his last recites with dignity. His funeral was very upsetting but it was so peaceful and lots of people from all over the country came to pay respects.

Only one thing I do takeaway from the time of mourning, some people who came to our home to pay respects were also talking amongst themselves and I was hearing whispers of why wasn't he wearing a helmet, was he drinking etc. These things again stay with me, especially why wasn't he wearing a helmet.

We kept the inquest of his death open for 2 years with the Coroners Court and British embassy of India, but we still have not had any justice to his death as the perpetrator was never convicted. The only thing I can take a bit of solace from is that the coroner established that his death would have happened regardless of the delay at the hospital due to the brain injuries. His cause of death of Laceration to the brain.

20 years on I was watching a TV programme with my mum which we enjoy every Saturday 'Indian Idol'. On one of the weekly shows they were celebrating the heroes of the country where they honoured many campaigns and individuals. One was of course the emergency crew that helped the trapped miners late last year and one was a remarkable man calling himself 'The Helmet Man of India'. His name is Raghvendra Kumar. I got in touch with him, where he told me his story which was similar to mine.

He lost a dear friend due to a road motorbike accident and has also suffered the same anguish as we have. However this guy went so many steps further to honour his friend by making it his life mission to reduce road traffic deaths caused by people not wearing helmets whilst riding on motorbikes. He sold his property and assets and is travelling all over India to campaign and raise awareness on the dangers of not wearing helmets. Although he has support from the government and media he has no financial support, but yet he has saved over 35 lives. Even one life is too many but for him to save so many I can't think of a better way of honouring his friend.

I also want to honour my brother on his 20th death anniversary by helping the Helmet Man of India and raise money for his cause. Watch his story here https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3ZJtGRvecW/?igsh=cWU5MDdta205YzR6

My aim is £1000 which isn't a lot but once converted into rupees this will be a great help to him.

So I appeal to everyone who knew Pardeep or even if you didn't please support me in saving lives and reducing deaths caused by road traffic accidents. I can't think of another better way of honouring my dear brother.

Rashpal