A 27-year-old Indian man, Dharmesh Kathireeya, was killed in a suspected racially motivated stabbing attack in Rockland, near Ottawa, on Friday afternoon.
Attack Followed Racial Slurs
According to people supporting Kathireeya’s wife, a white male neighbor in his 60s stabbed him just after he left a shared laundry room. They said the man had earlier shouted racist and anti-Indian slurs at the couple. Fearing for their safety, the sources asked to remain anonymous. They also shared videos of the suspect being arrested. In one clip, Kathireeya’s wife screams in distress.
He Moved to Canada in 2019
Kathireeya came from Bhavnagar in Gujarat. He arrived in Canada as an international student in 2019 and later stayed on a work permit with his wife. The Ontario Provincial Police took the suspect into custody at the scene. However, they have not yet released his name. The investigation is ongoing.
Community Grieves Loss
Friends and neighbors described the attack as an “unprovoked hate crime.” A fundraiser stated, “It is with profound sadness and heartbreak that we share the tragic and sudden loss of our dear friend, Dharmesh… The violence that ended his life has left his family, friends, and the entire community in shock and mourning.”
Kathireeya worked as a manager at Milano Pizza Rockland, located near his home. The restaurant announced on Facebook that it had shut down temporarily, stating, “Our beloved manager Dharmesh tragically passed away in a terrible incident on April 4th.”
India’s High Commission Responds
India’s High Commission in Ottawa posted on X, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an Indian national in Rockland near Ottawa due to a stabbing… We are in close contact through a local community association to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved kin.” Officials informed Kathireeya’s family in Gujarat on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Rockland community remains shocked by the brutal killing.