Sikh international student overwhelmed by outpouring of support after assault in Kelowna. B.C.
An international student from India who is recovering after being beaten at a bus stop in Kelowna, B.C., in an incident that is being probed as a potential hate crime says he has been overwhelmed by an outpouring of support.
Gagandeep Singh, who is Sikh, was allegedly swarmed by a group of people who tore off his turban and dragged him across the sidewalk by his hair last Friday night.
A GoFundMe that was set up over the weekend to help the young man cover his living expenses and medical costs has since raised over $22,000. In a message, Singh said the contributions and kind messages from strangers have reminded him why he chose to come to the country to study.
"The last few days have been very difficult for me. I am at home resting and recovering from the attack. I really appreciate the support across Canada from everyone," he wrote in an update on the fundraising page which has since stopped accepting contributions.
"Thank you for your donations over the last two days, they are above and beyond what I ever imagined."
The Kelowna RCMP are investigating the alleged assault, saying a group of between 12 and 15 people were involved and that the victim was followed off the bus and attacked from behind. On Tuesday, Mounties said they have contacted the B.C. Hate Crimes Team.
"The Kelowna RCMP have identified a suspect group, however no arrests have been made. While the motivation for the assault, and the details surrounding it, are still being investigated by police, the B.C. Hate Crimes Team has been consulted to ensure that any hate elements, if any, are properly identified and investigate," a statement from Mounties said.
Harkaran Singh, who is Gagandeep's roommate, told CTV News that his friend called him from the bis on the night of the assault, saying that people were harassing him on the bus. Soon after, Gagandeep called his roommate back.
"He said he's surrounded by multiple people. And that time they start attacking on him. He was disconnected for four or five minutes, and at that time, I called RCMP," Harkaran told CTV News.
After that, Harkaran hurried to the bus stop at Highway 97 and McCurdy Road where he found Gagandeep unconscious and missing his turban. The incident has left the community, particularly Gagandeep's friends and fellow international students, shaken and shocked.
"We need justice for Gagan," he said.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Shannon Paterson and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
An interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'Wild, wild west.' Families say organs of deceased Alabama inmates have been removed without their consent
The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to a series of lawsuits.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.