Five students from India were killed over the weekend in a two-vehicle crash in Ontario, Canada. The five victims, identified by police as Harpreet Singh, Jaspinder Singh, Karanpal Singh, Mohit Chouhan and Pawan Kumar, were driving a van along with three others on the westbound lanes on Highway 401 in Quinte West when it crashed with a tractor-trailer. All five were declared dead at the scene. The victims ranged in age from 21 to 24 and were all students in the Greater Toronto and Montreal areas.
Harpeet Singh was a resident of Montreal, while Chouhan, Kumar and Karanpal Singh were all attending the Montreal branch of College Canada, OPP Const. Maggie Pickett told the Toronto Sun.
Two other passengers in the van were transported to a hospital with serious injuries, news reports said, citing police records. The driver of the tractor-trailer, also a student, was uninjured. In a March 14 update provided on Twitter, Ajay Bisaria, India’s High Commissioner to Canada said the two students were still in the hospital, but are “mercifully out of danger.”
Update on tragic accident in which 5 Indians were killed near Toronto on Sat: two injured still in hospital, mercifully out of danger. One other student in the van carrying 8 persons escaped unhurt. @IndiainToronto team is in touch with friends/family for all help. @MEAIndia
In an earlier tweet, Bisaria offered condolences to the families of the victims.
Heart-breaking tragedy in Canada: 5 Indians students passed away in an auto accident near Toronto on Saturday. Two others in hospital. Deepest condolences to the families of the victims. @IndiainToronto team in touch with friends of the victims for assistance. @MEAIndia
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankr also took to Twitter tours the deaths. “Deeply mourn the passing away of 5 Indian students in Canada. Condolences to their families. Pray for the recovery of those injured.”
Deeply mourn the passing away of 5 Indian students in Canada. Condolences to their families. Pray for the recovery of those injured. @IndiainToronto will provide all necessary support and assistance. https://t.co/MAkMz0uwJ7
John David Couturier, a spokesman from Canada College, a Montreal school that caters to international students, told The Toronto Sun that “at least three of those who died and one of two injured survivors studied at the school.” He said, “the school administration is devastated by the loss and is scrambling to support students and arrange to send the victims’ bodies back to India.”
Similarly, Canada India Global Forum head Dr. Shivendra Dwivedi told the newspaper that “the community is shaken by the loss and is mobilizing resources to help the families in India as well as the victims’ friends in Canada.”
