Toronto: Indian student shot dead, family alleges no government assistance
The family of 21-year-old Kartik Vasudev—who was shot dead in Canada's Toronto on Thursday—claimed no assistance had been provided so far by the Canadian and Indian governments even after 48 hours of the incident while demanding justice for their dead son. Vasudev was a Ghaziabad resident who moved to Toronto in January 2022. He was studying management at Seneca College while also working part-time.
'He said Canada is very safe': Vasudev's father
"He (Vasudev) used to tell me, don't worry, Canada is very safe," the victim's father Jitesh Vasudev told NDTV, recalling his conversations with his son. "I have lost my son, but I want justice," Jitesh was quoted as saying by NDTV. Vasudev was shot several times at the entrance of a subway station in Toronto while on his way to work on Thursday evening.
No assistance has been provided by the Indian government
Vasudev's family claims that his father had responded to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's post confirming the incident on Twitter, but "no one from the Indian government has reached out to them" to provide any assistance. His family also demanded a fast-tracked visa approval process so that they could travel to Canada, claiming that the officials there were attempting to botch up the case.
Canadian police not responding: Jitesh
"I want to know what happened to my son, who shot him...what was the motive. He was just a sincere student who went there two months back. I'm trying to contact Toronto police, but they are not replying," Jitesh said. Reportedly, Toronto Police Service's homicide squad is investigating the case. According to the police, the suspect is an African-American male with a medium build.
Demands of the family from the Indian government
Jitesh stated that the Indian Consulate in Canada has informed him that Vasudev's body will be sent to India but it could take around 7-8 days. "A couple of things I want from the government: the body of my son be brought back as soon as possible. Secondly...I want to know what happened, who is the culprit, he should be punished," he asserted.
Official response from the Indian government
Meanwhile, the Consulate General of India tweeted, "We are shocked and distressed at the unfortunate killing of Indian student Kartik Vasudev in a shooting incident in Toronto yesterday." Contradicting the family's claims, the Consulate's statement said, "We are in touch with the family and will provide all possible assistance in the early repatriation of mortal remains." Separately, Jaishankar has also expressed his condolences.
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