- A 23-year-old student from Madhya Pradesh was allegedly killed in a brutal attack in Canada
- Gurkirat Singh Manocha was assaulted by a group of youths and allegedly run over by a vehicle in Fort St John
- His family in Ujjain has appealed to government to help expedite process of bringing his remains home
A 23-year-old student from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh was allegedly killed in a brutal attack in Canada, leaving his family and community in deep shock.
Gurkirat Singh Manocha, who had moved abroad to pursue higher education, died after being assaulted by a group of youths and allegedly run over with a vehicle in the city of Fort St John on March 14. He suffered critical injuries in the attack and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors later declared him dead.
He had travelled to Canada to pursue a postgraduate diploma in business management at Northern Lights College.
The tragic news has sent waves of grief through his family and the local community. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav expressed his condolences, saying the incident was deeply painful.
The family first learned about the tragedy through a late-night phone call from one of Gurkirat's friends in Canada. His elder brother, Prabkirat Singh, who lives in Chhattisgarh's Raipur, said the call came as a devastating shock.
According to the family, Gurkirat was working part-time at a Walmart store alongside his studies, as many international students do to support themselves.
On the night of the incident, after finishing his shift, some students from Northern Lights College reportedly took him along with them. It is believed there was a pre-existing dispute among some of the youths, and Gurkirat got caught in the altercation that followed.
During the confrontation, several youths allegedly assaulted him before running him over with a vehicle.
Prabkirat said around 10 to 12 youths were believed to be involved in the attack.
"We were told that a group of boys beat him badly and then ran him over with a vehicle. Around 10 to 12 people were involved. The police had detained some suspects initially, but later they were released after their lawyers arrived," he said.
Canadian authorities later confirmed Gurkirat's identity at the hospital.
"Need To Perform Last Rites"
Police are currently awaiting the post-mortem report, after which further legal action in the case is expected.
The process to bring Gurkirat's remains to India has also begun. According to the family, the repatriation may take around three weeks due to legal formalities. The family has appealed to the government to help expedite the process.
"We just want our son to come home as soon as possible so we can perform his last rites," Prabkirat said.
"Last Conversation"
Family members said Gurkirat had last spoken to his father, Gurjeet Singh Manocha, just a day before the incident. His father was returning to Ujjain from Delhi after attending a food exhibition, and the two had spoken casually about the event.
"It was a normal conversation. He asked about the exhibition and told us about his routine. None of us imagined that would be our last conversation with him," a family member said.
Gurkirat had completed his schooling at Carmel Convent School in Ujjain and later graduated from Vikram University.
He had moved to Canada a little over a year ago. Before leaving for Canada, he often helped his father in their family's food supply business and had developed a strong interest in the field.
According to the family, he had dreams of settling abroad in the future while continuing to support his family back home.
Back in Ujjain, the Manocha family home has turned into a place of mourning. Relatives, neighbours and friends continue to gather to offer their condolences, while the family struggles to come to terms with the loss of a young life that had travelled thousands of miles chasing a dream that ended in tragedy.
