A 22-year-old Indian student from Punjab has been killed in Canada after a tree fell on her as she was participating in a late-night bonfire with friends. Rittika Rajput, who was living in Kelowna, British Columbia and pursuing an online hospitality management course from a local college, died on the spot after the tree impaled her head.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the incident occurred on December 7, 2024, at James Lake, and has been deemed non-suspicious. However, the police said it was investigating Rajput's death.
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Amarjit Lalli, a family friend, said Rajput and her friends were enjoying a bonfire at the recreation site when a sudden gust of wind toppled the tree.
"The girls kind of got up and started running. One went one way, and, unfortunately, Rittika went the wrong way, and the tree ended up on top -- is what we've been told," Lalli told Radio West guest host Brady Strachan, according to CBC News.
Lalli, who visited the site after the accident, described seeing the fallen tree and a broken bench at James Lake. While he did not know Rajput personally, he met her parents during a visit to India last year, and is now assisting the family in their time of grief.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise funds for repatriating Rajput’s body to Punjab.
"[Rittika Rajput] Coming from a low-income family, her mother, Kiran Rajput, worked day and night stitching clothes for people to make their ends meet. Kiran also took out a loan of thousands of dollars for Rittika to send her to Canada and pay her educational fees," according to GoFundMe, an online crowdfunding platform.
Published By:
Girish Kumar Anshul
Published On:
Dec 12, 2024
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