New Delhi, May 14: A retired Delhi Police personnel cast his vote on Sunday hours after cremating his son that morning.
Inder Singh, 62, retired as an assistant sub inspector (ASI) of Delhi Police in 2016. His 35-year-old son Sunil Kumar died on Saturday night.
Sunil was being treated for a critical spinal injury at a hospital in Delhi's Vasant Kunj after he fell off a moving tractor on April 10, he told news agency Press Trust of India.
"We were overwhelmed with grief. But I voted along with my younger son after cremating Sunil on Sunday morning. It was my duty towards the nation," Mr Singh said.
Sunil was involved in farming on a family-owned land after he quit his temporary job in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). He was the family's breadwinner, the retired policeman said.
Mr Singh's family cast their vote at a polling station in Daryapur village which falls under North West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.
BJP candidate from the seat Hans Raj Hans and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta visited Mr Singh and his family.
"In spite of lower voting percentage, there were some instances which show the true meaning of 'nation first' and inspire others to vote for the country," Mr Gupta said.
Delhi recorded a voter turnout of 60.21 per cent on Sunday, down from 65 per cent in 2014, in its seven Lok Sabha seats.
Experts said that scorching heat, summer vacations and a "not very positive image of the Election Commission" were likely reasons behind the low voter turnout.
Delhi Chief Electoral officer Ranbir Singh had called the turnout a "disappointment" and attributed the reason for the lower turnout to sweltering heat.
In 2014, elections were held on April 10, which was not during vacations or severe heat.
"This time, elections were on a Sunday. With Saturday also being a holiday, people might have gone on vacation to nearby hill stations due to the heat," the Delhi Chief Electoral officer had said.
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