“They sold their land and searched for loved ones for 26 Years”: Heartbreaking story emerges as missing family’s van found in Bhakra Canal
Babushahi Bureau
Kiratpur Sahib (Punjab), May 20, 2026 — The recovery of an Omni van from the Bhakra Canal after 26 years has reopened painful memories for a Punjab family that never gave up hope of finding their loved ones.
The van belonged to a family from Kotla village near Kiratpur Sahib that disappeared in the year 2000 after their vehicle reportedly plunged into the canal while returning from a wedding function. Four members of the family, including a child, had gone missing in the tragic incident.
The driver involved in pulling the damaged vehicle out of the canal revealed the emotional struggle the family went through over the past two decades. According to him, the family sold their land and spent huge amounts of money searching for the missing van and the bodies of their relatives.
Special diving teams were brought in from different states, and repeated search operations were conducted for days and even weeks, but the powerful current of the Bhakra Canal prevented any breakthrough at the time.
The vehicle was finally discovered nearly 200 metres away from the original accident spot by noted diver and social worker Kamalpreet Saini during another search operation in the canal.
Locals said the moment the recovered van was shown to the family members, old wounds reopened instantly. Several relatives reportedly broke down in tears after seeing the badly damaged vehicle for the first time in 26 years.
According to people present at the scene, some clothes and remains were also found inside the van, bringing emotional closure to a tragedy that had haunted the family for decades.
Family members and villagers have now gathered at the village, where an Akhand Path has also reportedly been organised in memory of the deceased.
Residents described the recovery as both heartbreaking and historic, saying the family can finally perform the last rites of their loved ones after waiting for more than two decades.
The tragic story has deeply moved people across Punjab, with many calling it one of the most emotional recoveries ever witnessed from the Bhakra Canal.