Sikh youth from Punjab's Malerkotla killed in Canada's Edmonton

A 22-year-old Sikh youth was allegedly killed with a sharp-edged weapon in Downtown Edmonton parking, Alberta, on Wednesday.

The victim, identified as Jashandeep Singh Mann, had arrived in Canada as an international student eight months ago.

The Edmonton Police have charged 40-year-old Edgar Whisker with second-degree murder. Reports say that the suspect remained at the scene following the incident.  Jashandeep was a native of Badla village in Malerkotla district, Punjab.

The weapon used in the attack is believed to be a box cutter. “We can confirm that both men were not known to one another and this appears to be an isolated incident,” Staff Sergeant Colin Leathem with EPS Homicide Section was quoted saying in the official release.

Former sarpanch Bharpur Singh and his wife have demanded a probe by senior officials of the Canadian police into the sequence of incidents leading to the death of their son.

“We just want to know what provoked the attacker, that he ruined our world by snatching Jashandeep from us,” said Bharpur Singh, who is in a shock.

Residents led by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee delegate Pritpal Kaur Badla have urged the Union government and the Punjab government to help expedite in repatriation of the body.

The villagers have also urged Prime Minister Narinder Modi to take diplomatic measures to check crime against Indian youth settled in foreign countries.

Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh Boparai claimed to have taken up the issue with  Foreign Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

“Having learnt about the double whammy suffered by the family I talked to the Minister who assured me that he would coordinate with authorities in Canada to get the process for repatriation of the body expedited,” said Boparai.