ROCKLAND, Canada (Diya TV) — A 27-year-old Indian national, Dharmesh Kathireeya, was fatally stabbed on April 4 in what community members believe was a racially motivated attack in Rockland, Ontario, a township approximately 40 kilometers east of Ottawa.
Kathireeya, originally from Bhavnagar district in Gujarat, India, moved to Canada in 2019 as an international student and was living on a work permit. He had recently been managing Milano Pizza Rockland, a local eatery that temporarily closed in the wake of his death. In a Facebook message, the restaurant wrote, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the temporary closure of Milano Pizza, effective immediately and until further notice. Our beloved manager Dharmesh tragically passed away in a terrible incident on April 4th.”
Kathireeya was attacked while leaving a shared laundry room in his apartment building. Witnesses say a white male neighbor, believed to be in his 60s, allegedly stabbed him after previously directing racial and anti-Indian slurs at him and his wife. Videos circulating among community members show the man being arrested by police as Kathireeya’s wife, who had joined him in Canada just last year, can be heard screaming in the background. Those providing support to the family requested anonymity due to safety concerns.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are currently investigating the incident. While they have confirmed that one suspect is in custody, they have not yet released the name or the charges filed. According to CBC News, the stabbing occurred around 3 p.m. on Friday near Lalonde Street, and one person was pronounced dead at the scene while another was arrested.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa acknowledged the tragedy in a statement on X, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an Indian national in Rockland near Ottawa due to a stabbing. Police have stated that a suspect has been taken into custody. We are in close contact through a local community association to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved kin.”
An online fundraiser launched to support Kathireeya’s family described the incident as a “senseless attack” and an “unprovoked hate crime,” expressing the community’s grief and shock. “The violence that ended his life has left his family, friends, and the entire community in shock and mourning,” the message read.
Kathireeya’s death has reignited concerns about the safety and well-being of immigrants in Canada, particularly those of South Asian descent. While the motive behind the attack is still under official investigation, the context provided by neighbors and friends strongly suggests racism may have played a role.
His family in India was notified of the tragedy on Saturday, as community members in Rockland and beyond rallied to offer support to his grieving wife.
