Gujarati student stabbed to death in Canada, accused still at large

A 22-year-old Indian student from Gujarat has been killed in a knife attack in Canada’s Niagara region, according to NDTV.

The report identified the deceased as Vidhi Kalpeshbhai Meghani, who moved to Canada from Gujarat’s Anand district four years ago for her studies.

According to News18, Vidhi had stepped out of her home on May 15 when she was attacked in broad daylight.

Local residents rushed her to a hospital in critical condition, where doctors later declared her dead.

According to the report, the Niagara Regional Police have registered a murder case and launched an investigation. The accused is currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace the suspect.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear. Some preliminary reports have suggested it may have been an attempted robbery, but police have not officially confirmed this.

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Vidhi was a resident of Borsad in Gujarat’s Anand district.

The development comes amid increasing racism and acts of violence against the Indian diaspora in Canada.

Previously, in March, a 25-year-old student, Gurkirat Singh Manocha, from Madhya Pradesh was killed after being assaulted by many people in Fort St. John, British Columbia. Last year, a woman from Punjab's Tarn Taran, Harsimrat Kaur Randhawa, was killed after being hit by a stray bullet in Hamilton, Ontario.

Between 2019 and 2014, at least 172 students died in Canada for a range of reasons, according to official data.

While most of these deaths were attributed to natural causes, nine deaths were a result of attacks.

In addition to attacks on persons, Indian officials, diplomatic missions, and places of worship associated with the diaspora have also been targeted in recent years.

Earlier this week, the Canadian police announced the arrest of 17 people for being part of an international criminal network that targeted South Asian community members across Canada and the United States. They were accused of extortion, shooting, and arson, among other offences.