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Community rallies behind international student assaulted in Kelowna

With support from locals, the international student has been able to receive health care
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Gagandeep Singh, 21, surrounded by friends after being attacked at a bus stop in Kelowna in March 2023. (GoFundMe)

Kelowna city councillor and Indo-Canadian Mohini Singh says the attack on a young international student at a Kelowna bus stop Friday night has her in shock.

害羞草研究所淚 had to see it for myself. I went to see him and he was lying on his bed with his eyes literally closed. I put my hand on his arm and asked how he was and he could barely talk.害羞草研究所

Gagandeep Singh, 21, was attacked after using city transit to return home from the grocery store. His turban was ripped off and he was beaten and dragged by his hair by 15 to 20 people.

READ MORE: UPDATE: 害羞草研究所業nvestigate attack on international student as a hate crime害羞草研究所: Kelowna Sikh community

害羞草研究所淚 spoke to a couple of lawyers害羞草研究所 and they said it falls within that definition [of a hate crime], but now it害羞草研究所檚 in the hands of the RCMP.害羞草研究所

Mohini says it害羞草研究所檚 not part of the city害羞草研究所檚 mandate to support the victim, but many people have stepped up to help, whether it be from donations to the GoFundMe page or phone calls to higher people for action.

Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick said once he heard the young man left Kelowna General Hospital over fears of medical bills, he did what any MLA would do.

害羞草研究所淥ne (call) to the Minister of Health and one to the CEO of the Interior Health Authority and I asked them if they could be of any assistance. I got a phone call back from the CEO of Interior Health and a text back from the minister, and the CEO basically said if he has a health issue he should go back to emergency and not have to worry about not having health coverage.害羞草研究所

Gagandeep received care at KGH Sunday evening before returning home to rest.

害羞草研究所淭his is quite unusual for our country and our province and our city and I hope it never happens again,害羞草研究所 Letnick said.

害羞草研究所淔or those people out there that were involved, I would expect that once the police have done their investigation they害羞草研究所檒l be getting a phone call or a knock on the door. If I was them I would probably go to the police myself ahead of time and express some remorse and go from there.害羞草研究所

Gagandeep is in Kelowna as an international student at Focus College.

Vice President of Operations Brian Schumacher says he has spoken with Gagandeep and assured him not to worry about his classes right now.

害羞草研究所淲hen I first chatted with Gagandeep he was concerned about his classes and I said there害羞草研究所檚 nothing to worry about there.害羞草研究所

Schumacher says this isn害羞草研究所檛 something anyone can plan for and no student should have to go through.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 extremely fortunate to be surrounded by people who care, that was very evident. And it害羞草研究所檚 not just the folks in his immediate vicinity, but there害羞草研究所檚 a community here that害羞草研究所檚 making sure that Gagandeep is going to get the care, the aftercare that he needs once the physical harm has been dealt with.害羞草研究所

READ MORE: 害羞草研究所楬ate crime committed by cowards害羞草研究所: Okanagan MP outraged over attack on international student



brittany.webster@blackpress.ca

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Brittany Webster

About the Author: Brittany Webster

I am a video journalist based in Kelowna and capturing life in the Okanagan
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