HAMILTON, Canada (Diya TV) — A 21-year-old Indian student was fatally struck by a stray bullet while waiting at a bus stop in Hamilton, Ontario, sparking grief both in Canada and her native Punjab, India, where her family is pleading for help to bring her body home.
Harsimrat Kaur Randhawa, a student at Mohawk College, was on her way to work when gunfire erupted during a clash between two vehicles near Upper James Street and South Bend Road around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Hamilton Police. Randhawa, who was not involved in the dispute, was hit in the chest and rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators believe Randhawa was caught in crossfire during a shooting between two vehicles — a black Mercedes SUV and a white sedan. Security footage reviewed by police shows a passenger from the SUV firing at the sedan before both cars fled the scene, CBC News reported.
In a statement, Hamilton Police confirmed Randhawa was an “innocent bystander” standing at the bus stop when the bullet struck her. The same gunfire also shattered the rear window of a nearby house on Allenby Avenue, where residents were watching television, but no additional injuries were reported.
Randhawa, originally from Dhunda village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, had moved to Canada nearly two years ago to pursue her education. Her family, devastated by the news, is urging the Indian government to expedite the process of returning her body home.
“We are in complete shock. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” her grandfather, Sukhwinder Singh, told the Hindustan Times. “Gangsterism is everywhere, and whatever the situation is in Punjab, it’s worse in Canada,” he added.
Her father, Vikram Singh Randhawa, echoed the grief and frustration, expressing his disbelief over the violence his daughter faced abroad. “Had we known about such a law and order situation, I would have never sent my daughter to Canada,” he told Hindustan Times. “We thought our children were secure in a foreign land, but it is the other way around. We demand stringent punishment for those responsible.”
The Consulate General of India in Toronto extended condolences in a statement posted Friday on X, formerly Twitter. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Indian student Harsimrat Randhawa in Hamilton, Ontario,” the consulate wrote. “As per local police, she was an innocent victim, fatally struck by a stray bullet during a shooting incident involving two vehicles. A homicide investigation is currently underway. We are in close contact with her family and are extending all necessary assistance.”
Mohawk College also issued a statement mourning Randhawa’s death and offering support to her classmates and family. “We extend our deepest sympathies to Harsimrat’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” the college said, as reported by CBC News.
Hamilton Police continue to investigate the fatal shooting and are appealing to the public for information. Investigators are asking anyone in the area with dashcam or security camera footage recorded between 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. to contact authorities.
The tragedy has sparked conversations within Canada’s international student community and renewed concerns over public safety, especially for young immigrants navigating life abroad. For Randhawa’s family, however, the focus remains on bringing her home.
