19-year-old Indo-Canadian Gursimran Kaur was tragically found dead in a walk-in oven at a Halifax WalMart. The community mourns her loss as police continue their investigation into the heartbreaking incident.
A photo of 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur, shared on an online fundraiser organized by the Maritime Sikh Society via GoFundMe.
Toronto: In a tragic incident, 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur, an Indo-Canadian immigrant, was found dead in a walk-in oven at a WalMart bakery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on October 19. Originally from Ludhiana, Punjab, Kaur had been working at the store for about two years after moving to Canada with her mother.
Halifax Police confirmed that Kaur’s burnt body was found in a large walk-in oven within the bakery department, adding that an investigation into the “sudden death” is underway. According to a police statement, the cause and manner of death have not yet been confirmed.
Local media reports revealed the discovery was made by Kaur’s mother, who also worked at the same WalMart location. That evening, her mother grew concerned when she hadn’t seen Kaur for over an hour and couldn’t reach her by phone. Despite her initial worries being dismissed by coworkers, she continued searching and eventually found her daughter in the oven, a horrifying discovery she made with other employees present.
An online fundraiser organized by the Maritime Sikh Society Executive has described Kaur as a “young, beautiful girl who came to Canada with big dreams.” By Thursday evening, over CA$ 164,000 had been raised to support her grieving family, including visa arrangements for her father to join them in Canada.
Maritime Sikh Society President Harjit Singh Seyan shared with Hindustan Times that both Kaur and her mother were active community members, regularly visiting the local gurdwara. He noted that the community is in shock, saying, “It’s quite disturbing and tragic news.” The society is offering both financial and psychological support to Kaur’s family during this difficult time.