Jitesh Vasudev, the father of Indian student Kartik Vasudev who was shot dead outside a Toronto subway in Canada, maintains that the attack against his son wasn’t a random act of violence but possibly a “hate crime” after Toronto Police announced the arrest of a 39-year-old man in connection with the crime.
“ The angle being presented by the Toronto Police, that it’s a random attack, is not believable. It’s not normal that loaded ammunition has been recovered from the suspect’s home,” said Mr. Vasudev, who questioned why the suspect specifically killed his son and another brown individual.
The family of Kartik Vasudev is expecting the body to arrive in India on Saturday morning but is planning to travel to Canada soon so that they can ensure justice for their kin.
“Once we are done with the cremation and other rituals of our son, we will go to Canada to make sure that the perpetrator receives the maximum punishment. For the time being, I have no idea when the suspect will be presented in front of a jury and I have mailed Canadian authorities to provide more details on the same,” Mr. Vasudev told the Free Press Journal and stated that the body will arrive in cargo on an Air India flight.
The image of Canada as a safe country has lost its meaning for the family of Kartik Vasudev who want this incident to be a wake-up call for students wishing to study in the North American country. “It’s not just about Kartik now, it’s about every child that goes to study in Canada. If hate crimes or unprovoked attacks are happening in the country, it should be openly discussed. If such an incident happens in India, do you think there won’t be any outrage on an international stage?,” said Mr. Vasudev who appreciated the support he has received in Canada among the Indian community and other residents, and also plans to hire a lawyer if need be to fight the case.
Kartik’s body has been kept at Lotus Funeral and Cremation Centre in Toronto and Mr. Vasudev is in contact with the funeral home. “The Consulate General in India, who I have been contacting since the incident, put me in touch with Lotus Centre, who are taking care of Kartik’s body. We won’t be receiving belongings of our son with the body but have informed his roommate to pack them just in case,” said the father.
Family and friends of the Seneca College student held a candle march in Ghaziabad on April 10 to fight for justice in the homicide case, while students and residents in Toronto also came out on the streets to protest Kartik’s untimely death.
According to Toronto Police chief James Ramer the suspect, Richard Jonathan Edwin, was traced based on video surveillance footage and arrested from his residence in Toronto on Sunday night. The police have maintained that the suspect had no prior criminal record.
