Widow pays tribute to husband Raju Gurbaksh Singh
Jul 29 2010 by Laura Caroe, The Journal
TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who was killed on a motorway after being struck by several cars.
North Shields-born Raju Gurbaksh Singh was hit on the A74(M), near junction 16 at Johnstonebridge, in South West Scotland.
It is believed that the 28-year-old had wandered off when the car he was travelling in stopped at nearby services. At least four vehicles are thought to have been involved.
Speaking from the family home in Watcombe Close, Washington, last night, his widow Anna paid tribute to a loving husband and a devoted father to their son Harvey, two-and-a-half.
“Raju was a fantastic dad, and he was so good with Harvey,” said the 26-year-old. “He worked every hour God sent to provide for his family.
“He was also a great friend and whenever there was a party, Raju would be at the centre of it.
“He was such a big part of our lives. He was the backbone of our family. Now he has been taken away from us.
“I am never going to be able to tell him how much I love him again.”
She said Mr Singh, who worked as an assistant manager for Alimento, had travelled to Scotland to attend a wedding with family members near Glasgow. Mrs Singh had stayed at home, but her husband had called her several times during Monday night to say he was having a great time, and that he expected to be home in the early hours.
It is believed he stopped off at a service station with relatives, and somehow wandered into the busy road. It is not yet known how this happened.
Police were called to the scene where they found up to four vehicles had stopped at the scene, all of which are believed to have hit Mr Singh on the southbound carriageway.
Other vehicles may also have struck the pedestrian, but because they were not aware they had hit anyone, they didn’t stop.
A driver was taken to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary suffering from shock. He was released from the hospital on Tuesday.
Family members, who were with the victim shortly before the incident happened at 1am on Tuesday, were helping police piece together his last movements before the crash.
A spokesman for Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary said: “Inquiries into the full circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Mr Singh are still being investigated by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary.
“We are still making an appeal for anyone who may have seen the crash in which he was killed to get in touch.”
The southbound carriageway of the M74 between junctions 15 and 17 was closed yesterday while a crash investigation was carried out, and a stretch of the northbound carriageway was also shut for a time. Anyone with information can call 0845 600 5701.
