A 23-year-old student from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, died after being assaulted and allegedly run over by a group of youths in Fort St. John, Canada, on March 14, his family said. Gurkirat Singh Manocha sustained critical injuries in the attack, was rushed to hospital and was later declared dead. Canadian authorities confirmed his identity at the hospital.
Gurkirat had gone to Canada to pursue a postgraduate diploma in business management at Northern Lights College and had been living there for a little over a year. According to his family, he supplemented his studies with part-time work at a Walmart store, as many international students do. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav expressed condolences to the family, calling the incident deeply painful.
Family members said they learned of the death late at night when a friend of Gurkirat phoned them. His elder brother, Prabkirat Singh of Raipur, said the news came as a devastating shock. Prabkirat told reporters they were informed that around 10 to 12 youths were involved. “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.
The family said Gurkirat had been taken by some students from Northern Lights College after finishing a work shift; a pre-existing dispute among some youths is believed to have escalated into the fatal confrontation. Police in Canada are awaiting the post-mortem report, after which further legal action is expected.
Procedures to repatriate Gurkirat’s remains to India have begun. The family said the process may take about three weeks due to legal formalities and have appealed to the government to help expedite the return so they can perform his last rites. “We just want our son to come home as soon as possible so we can perform his last rites,” Prabkirat said.
Family members recalled that Gurkirat spoke to his father, Gurjeet Singh Manocha, a day before the incident while his father was returning to Ujjain from a food exhibition in Delhi. “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 relative said. Gurkirat completed his schooling at Carmel Convent School, graduated from Vikram University and had previously helped in the family’s food supply business. Back in Ujjain, the Manocha household has become a focal point of grief as relatives, neighbours and friends gather to mourn.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/gurkirat-singh-manocha-fort-st-john-indian-student-thrashed-run-over-in-canada-family-in-ujjain-awaits-body-11221301#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-03-16 11:59:00
