Two Sikh boys have died after a car crash in Christchurch on the morning of March 28.
The victims have been identified as Kamal Preet Singh, 22, of Khasi Kalaan, District Ludhiana, Punjab, and Lovepreet Singh Waraich,19, of Village Ghumar Majra, Haryana from India.
Both boys died at the scene after they crashed into north-bound Freight Lines truck at 8 a.m.
Observing the severity of the crash, Police confirmed that the two occupants had died on the scene. The truck driver was not injured.
A source close to the victims has said that the weather conditions were foggy and the boys were trying to overtake another truck when their car crashed into the truck coming from the opposite direction. But police is still investigating.
So far five people have died on this highway which is an alternate route to SH1 which was blocked by the Kaikoura earthquake in November last year.
According to reports, the boys were returning after picking their friend’s wife from the airport and dropping her home about 100 km from the location of the accident.
Mr Singh was on a job search visa and was working at Metro Glass while Mr Waraich had come to New Zealand on student visa six months ago.
Photo: JOSEPH JOHNSON/FAIRFAX NZ via Stuff.co.nz
The source told Indian Weekender that the families of the boys had been informed about the incident.
As the families were seeking help from the Indian community in New Zealand to arrange for the boys to be sent back home in India, Indian Weekender informed the Indian High Commissioner Sanjiv Kohli about the incident, who promptly responded and agreed to bear all the costs incurred.
Mr Kohli is now working closely with our source and the next of kin and has informed that while Lovepreet was covered by insurance, they will make arrangements to send Kamal back to his family for his final rites.
A visibly upset Narinder Warraich, cousin of Lovepreet, who also lives in Christchurch, said that he was shocked.
“He was such a young boy. The accident happened in the morning and we got to know about it at night. But now the [Indian] High Commission is in touch and is providing full support.”
Amrit Singh, who has been liaising with the Indian High Commission on the family's behalf, added, "This is such a great loss to the community both here and back home in India. While Lovepreet was still studying, Kamal has just started working in Metro Glass. They both had promising careers in front of them."
In the past, too, the Indian High Commission, under the leadership of Sanjiv Kohli, has taken prompt initiatives to extend help to the grieving friends and families in similar situations.
After hearing the shock news, the local Indian community gathered at the local Gurudwara Singh Sabha Christchurch on March 29 to show solidarity with the family and chalk out details on how to extend any help to the grief-stricken family.
They are appealing community members to come forward and donate to provide financial support to the grieving families.
The details of bank account where donations can be made are as follow:
BNZ 02-0874-0248293-01
Gurudwara Singh Sabha bank account
Please add your name and 'funeral support' under reference.
The police have completed a scene examination and police now requesting witnesses, who would have been around Mouse Point Road in Culverden, North Canterbury on March 28 just after 8 a.m., to contact the nearest police station immediately.
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