The killings of three Indian-origin youth in different incidents in Canada over the past week have caused deep concern in India and within the Indian diaspora over whether these were racially motivated. In the latest killing, 22-year-old Birinder Singh from Edmonton was shot and killed while driving on a highway south of Leduc on March 14. Two of his friends, who were in the car with him at the time of the shooting, say they could not understand why Birinder was shot. “We just heard a gunshot and within a minute, everything happened, everything has changed. Our whole world is really bad now. We are feeling really traumatized,” one of the friends, who did not wish to be identified, told Global News.
Birinder was shot in the neck by men they had never seen before who drove past in a pick-up truck without looking back. His friends are wondering if the unexplained shooting was racially motivated. Police are yet to determine if the shooting was random or targeted. The World Sikh Organisation of Canada has called upon the police to investigate the shooting as a hate crime. In a press release, the organisation said, “the incident comes amid a disturbing rise in anti-Sikh hate across Canada including crimes and incidents targeting Sikhs.”
In a tweet on X, the Indian Consulate in Ottawa has condoled Singh’s death and said all possible assistance was being extended to his family.
A day ealier, 28-year-old Gurkirat Singh Manocha was allegedly run over with a vehicle in Fort St John after being assaulted by several youth. Manocha was a student at the Northern Lights College in Fort St. John, British Columbia. He attended classes four days a week and worked at the local Walmart Store on the remaining three days. According to his elder brother Prabkirat Singh, Manocha was out with his friends when there was an altercation during which 10-12 people assaulted him and he was run over by a vehicle. He sustained critical injuries and died in hospital. Police have arrested all the accused.
Also on Friday, 30-year-old cab driver, Devinder Singh, was shot dead outside a motel in North Battleford, Saskatchewan by men in pursuit of his woman passenger. Singh was waiting for his passenger outside the Hitching Post motel when he was shot at by men following the woman passenger.
In another instance of unprovoked shooting last month, 37-year-old Chandan Kumar, an IT professional who had been working in Canada for six years, was shot dead outside a mall in Toronto on February 7, 2026. He had been waiting in his car at a parking lot when unidentified gunmen fired several shots at him.
All these incidents have heightened anxiety among Indian-origin residents, particularly students and new migrants. In its reply to a question about the safety of Indian students abroad in Parliament, the Ministry of External Affairs disclosed 14 students were killed in violent attacks in Canada between 2021-26 with the maximum- 11 deaths- occurring in 2024.
Canadian law enforcement agencies maintain that most violent incidents are not linked to race but to specific disputes, criminal networks, or isolated circumstances. Until clearer answers emerge, the recent killings risk deepening a sense of unease- both in India and among those who have made Canada their home.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article belong solely to the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of DNN24 or any affiliated organization.
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