Missing Indian student in Canada found dead under mysterious circumstances

Ottawa: An Indian student in Canada, who has been missing for four days, was found dead, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa said.

The student, Vanshika, was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Vanshika, the daughter of Devinder Singh, an AAP leader, hailing from Punjab’s Dera Bassi, moved to Ottawa two and a half years ago for higher studies.

“We are deeply saddened to be informed of the death of Ms. Vanshika, a student from India in Ottawa. The matter has been taken up with the concerned authorities, and the cause is under investigation as per local police. We are in close contact with the bereaved kin and local community associations to provide all possible assistance,” the High Commission of India in Canada posted on a social media platform ‘X’.

Vanshika went missing on April 25, the day she left her house to check out a room, the Hindu Community in Ottawa said in a letter to Ottawa Police Service.

After that, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa also had posted on X that it is in touch with local partner Indo-Canadian community associations and concerned authorities regarding a missing person alert for an Indian student in Ottawa, Canada.”

“Vanshika has been missing since the evening of Friday, April 25th, 2025, after leaving her residence at 7 Majestic Drive around 8-9 PM to view a rental room. Her phone was switched off at approximately 11:40 PM that night, and she missed an important exam the following day an action completely out of character for her. Despite extensive efforts by her family and friends, there has been no contact or information about her whereabouts,” the letter read.

The community wrote, “We are deeply worried and, frankly, fearing the worst. The Hindu community in Ottawa is distressed, and the anxiety continues to grow with each passing hour. Given the troubling circumstances and the vulnerability of the missing person, we respectfully request your personal attention and intervention in this matter. We humbly urge the Ottawa Police Service to escalate this case, allocate appropriate resources, and prioritise the investigation into Vanshika’s disappearance. A swift and thorough response could make a critical difference in ensuring her safe return.”

Family seeks Centre’s help to bring her body back from Canada

The victim’s father, who is also Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Davinder Saini, expressed his grief and stated, “I want my daughter’s body to be brought back here.”

AAP MLA from Dera Bassi, Kuljit Singh Randhawa, also expressed his condolences and mentioned that efforts are being made to repatriate the body. He added that AAP MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal had been contacted to help in this regard. The MPs have reached out to the Indian embassy to facilitate the process.

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)

(The copy has been updated with new information.)