An Indian-born student’s death at the hands of her live-in partner in Canada has shocked the Indian and Punjabi communities.
Damanpreet Kaur, a 23-year-old woman from Punjab’s Ludhiana district, was allegedly strangled by her live-in partner in Edmonton, Alberta. Canadian police have arrested the accused, 22-year-old Ritesh Kumar.
According to the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), officers responded to a call on July 9, 2026, reporting an unresponsive woman with suspicious injuries at a residence in Edmonton's Silverberry area. Damanpreet was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and died at the hospital on July 12.
According to an autopsy by the Edmonton Medical Examiner’s Office on July 14, Damanpreet died due to strangulation. Police arrested Ritesh Kumar on July 22 and charged him with second-degree murder. The case has been referred to by investigators as an “intimate partner homicide,” which means violence against current or former romantic partners.
There are no longer any suspects at large and the investigation remains ongoing.
Damanpreet Kaur belonged to Lal Kalan village in Samrala in Ludhiana district. She had moved to Canada nearly five years ago on a study visa with hopes of a better future. Family members and village residents say she was the only child of her parents who had borrowed heavily to finance her education abroad.
And now she is gone, her family is devastated. They are awaiting the arrival of her mortal remains from Canada before they carry out her last rites, local reports said.
Jagjit Singh, a member of the village panchayat, said the family comes from a financially modest background and had invested all their resources in Damanpreet's education. She was the hope for a brighter future and for repaying the loans taken to support her overseas studies.
The village community has asked the Punjab and Indian governments to assist the family in getting Damanpreet's body back to India. The Canadian media also reported that a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to cover the transportation cost.
In the past few years, the safety and well-being of international students living abroad have been questioned in the country as well.
With millions of Indian students traveling overseas every year to study and make careers, each of these incidents highlights the need for the community to come together in support of the victims and also the need for domestic violence awareness and emergency support.
Canadian authorities are still investigating the case. The arrest is a big step forward and Damanpreet’s family and community are grieving for a young woman whose dreams were tragically cut short.
