CHANDIGARH: A 21-year-old Indian student, Harsimrat Kaur Randhawa, hailing from Dhunda village in Goindwal Sahib of Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, was fatally struck by a stray bullet while waiting at a bus stop in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.Harsimrat, who had gone to Canada two years ago for a better future, was a student at Mohawk College in Hamilton. She was on her way to work when shots were fired from a moving car during a shooting incident involving two vehicles.The Consulate General of India in Toronto said in a post on X on Friday, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Indian student Harsimrat Randhawa in Hamilton, Ontario. As per local police, she was an innocent victim, fatally struck by a stray bullet during a shooting incident involving two vehicles. A homicide investigation is currently underway. We are in close contact with her family and are extending all necessary assistance. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family during this difficult time.”Hamilton Police have classified the case as a homicide and are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam or security footage from 7:15 pm to 7:45 pm in the area to come forward and assist with the investigation.According to the police, the incident occurred at around 7:30 pm local time on Wednesday, near Upper James Street and South Bend Road in Hamilton. Officers arrived to find Randhawa with a gunshot wound to the chest. She was rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries.A statement issued by the police said, “Through collected video, investigators have determined that the passenger of a black Mercedes SUV fired at the occupants of a white sedan. Shortly after the shooting, the white sedan fled northbound on Upper James and the Mercedes travelled westbound on South Bend. Shots also entered the rear window of a residence on Allenby Avenue where the occupants were watching television a few feet away. Fortunately, no one was injured in the home.”Her grandfather, Sukhwinder Singh, said, “She had gone to Canada for studies and was waiting for the bus. She was shot dead during a shooting by some people in a car.”A pall of gloom descended on the village as soon as the news of her death reached home. The atmosphere turned mournful. A villager, Jaswant Singh Dhunda, along with others, appealed to the Union Government to bring the body of Harsimrat back to India.
Source link
