Toronto, Sep 7 (IANS) A 23-year-old Indian youth from Punjab has been murdered in Canada.
Prabhjot Singh Katri was found murdered early on Sunday morning near his residence in the city of Truro in Nova Scotia.
The victim came to Canada from India in 2017 for higher studies. After finishing his studies, he was on a work visa and was driving a cab to earn his livelihood.
The victim was returning home after work when he was murdered, not far from the apartment he shared with his sister and her husband. The relatives and friends of the victim claim it to be a hate crime.
The small Indo-Canadian community in the town is in shock.
Maninder Singh, the victim's cousin, said that his murder was hate-motivated.
He said Prabhjot did two jobs to help his family in India and was waiting to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
"He was an innocent guy returning back from his job. He drove a taxi," the victim's friend, Jatinder Kumardeep, was quoted as saying.
Agampal Singh, another friend of the victim, said that he had no enemies.
"We don't have any idea why this happened. He was a very innocent guy. He didn't talk with people he didn't know. And then this thing happens, which has totally destroyed his family and us also. We come to this country for a good future. We are not safe here. I can't even sleep."
An online fundraiser has raised more than $50,000 to send the body to India.
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The new leadership team, led by state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, had called on the Chief Minister and submitted a letter listing out some issues as needing urgent settlement.
The bodies of Khare Besra, 75 and his wife Curki Devi, 70, were recovered from Baragarda jungle of Giridih. The old couple, residents of Kumharlalo panchayat, had gone into the jungle on Saturday but had not returned and other villagers had filed a missing report with police.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review the demands of the striking employees, he expressed concern over their continued agitation, which has severely impacted the functioning of various state government departments.
The opposition has been continuously attacking the government after it told the Parliament on July 20 that states have not reported any death due to oxygen during the second wave.
