Chandan’s father, retired schoolteacher Nanda Kumar, said they had begged their son to return home after six or seven years abroad, but he refused
A 37-year-old IT professional from Bengaluru Rural district in Karnataka has been shot dead in a suspected targeted attack in Toronto, marking the city’s third homicide this year.
Chandan Kumar, who had lived in Canada for six years working for a private firm, was gunned down on Saturday, 7 February, in a shopping centre car park.
Police rushed to the scene after reports of gunfire. They found Kumar inside a white SUV, riddled with bullets through the windscreen and driver’s window. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital in a critical state, but sadly passed away soon after. Images from local media showed the damaged vehicle, pointing to an ambush while he sat inside.
Toronto Police Inspector Errol Watson noted that details are still emerging, including the number of suspects or shots fired. “I understand how a shooting like this at a mall can worry the public,” he told CBC News.
-
Officers believe it was deliberate, though motives remain unclear
-
No arrests have been made, and they are urging witnesses to share dashcam or CCTV footage
This tragedy follows another targeted killing of a 28-year-old Indian-origin man in Burnaby, British Columbia, just days earlier, possibly tied to gang issues there—making it the second such incident involving Indian nationals in Canada within two weeks.
Back in Thyamagondlu, near Nelamangala on Bengaluru’s outskirts, Kumar’s family is heartbroken. His father, retired schoolteacher Nanda Kumar, said they had begged their son to return home after six or seven years abroad, but he refused. The family wonders if his plans to start a Kannada association in Canada played a role. The local community is in mourning, stunned by the loss of a man they never imagined would meet such a fate.
Police investigations continue as Kumar’s loved ones grieve.
