Montreal college offering support after three students die in crash on Ontario highway
A Montreal CEGEP is offering support to students after three young men who attended the school were killed in a crash on Highway 401 in Ontario over the weekend.
The three students, all in their early 20s, were originally from India and were enrolled in their second year of a business administration program at Canada College, a private CEGEP in the downtown area.
Their names are Karanpal Singh, 22, Mohit Chouhan, 23 and Pawan Kumar, 23.
“Students are shocked. Everybody here. The whole community is overwhelmed. It's very sad,” said John-David Couturier, the school’s health director.
According to Couturier, one of the three students lived in Montreal while the other two made their homes in Ontario and went back and forth on their off-days
Kumar’s cousin, Aman Jayani, told CTV News that family members learned of his death through a post on Instagram.
He said Kumar moved to Canada from Lilas, a village of 2,600 in the Haryana state, two years ago. He is the youngest of five siblings. His family says they are desperate to bring the young man’s body back to India to perform last rites.
Twenty-three-year-old Pawan Kumar moved to Canada from Lilas, a village of 2,600 in the state of Haryana two years ago.
Two other men, Jaspinder Singh, 21 and Harpreet Singh, 24, were also killed.
A fourth student from Canada College was also badly injured in the crash, suffering serious injuries, including multiple fractures, officials said.
In all, eight people were in a van that was struck by a tractor-trailer along Highway 401 at 3:45 a.m. Saturday, according to Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
OPP Const. Maggie Pickett said just before the collision, the van stopped in a live lane of the highway between Belleville and Trenton and one person got out.
Pickett could not say why the van stopped.
The driver of the truck and the person who got out of the van were not hurt. Five men were killed and two other people were seriously injured.
A roommate of Kumar also spoke with CTV News about his good friend, describing him as having a love for dance.
It was a pastime he enjoyed, he pursued it at home into the early morning hours, sometimes annoying his neighbours with the music, he said.
“I feel like crying right now,” said Soni, adding it is hard to stay positive when “he is literally gone.”
SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Couturier said a specialized psychologist is at the school to speak to students who need support.
He also said he plans to speak with friends of the victims and other students so that they can address any cultural sensitivities related to how their community grieves.
The school has offered to pay for the funerals of the three young men in India, after learning the cost of repatriating the bodies would cost the families about $15,000.
“Many families worked very hard to save their money to send their children to Canada hoping to have a better life … so we will cover the expense for the three students,” Couturier said.
The High Commissioner of India to Canada said the Consulate General is also supporting the friends of victims.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.