Indian-origin techie shot dead in 'targeted' attack outside Canada mall
What's the story
A 37-year-old Indian-origin tech professional from Karnataka, Chandan Kumar Raja Nandakumar, was shot dead at the Woodbine Shopping Centre in Toronto on Saturday. The incident occurred around 3:30pm local time when unidentified assailants opened fire near the mall's entrance. Nandakumar was sitting inside his SUV at the time of the shooting and was later found with multiple gunshot wounds by officers of the Toronto Police Service. The multiple bullet holes have prompted officials to suspect Nandakumar was "targeted."
Profile and probe
Nandakumar worked with LTI Mindtree
Nandakumar was a resident of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area and hailed from Thyamagondlu village near Bengaluru. He had been living in Canada for six years and was employed with LTI Mindtree, a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro. Before that, he worked with Cognizant in Bengaluru. The TPS has since launched a homicide investigation into the incident, suspecting it to be a "targeted" attack. No arrests have been made so far.
Family's loss
Family devastated by sudden death
Back in India, Nandakumar's family is devastated by his sudden death. His father said they had spoken to him recently and were planning for his marriage. "We spoke to him last Friday. He said he would take leave and come home this summer," his father said. Some relatives speculate that Nandakumar's involvement in forming a Kannada association in Toronto could have been a reason behind the attack, but police have not confirmed any motive yet.
Public reaction
Efforts on to repatriate body
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Indian community in Canada and Karnataka. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara expressed grief over the incident and said efforts are on to repatriate Nandakumar's body with help from India's Ministry of External Affairs. Chikkaballapura MP Dr K Sudhakar is also coordinating with authorities for this purpose.