Punjab youth dies in Canada, grieving parents take loans to bring body home
Babushahi Bureau
Barnala/Mehal Kalan, January 27, 2026:The series of tragic deaths of Punjabi youths in Canada continues, with a heartbreaking case reported from village Gurm in the Mehal Kalan constituency of Barnala district. Twenty-three-year-old Rajpreet Singh, who had gone to Canada for higher studies, died due to illness, and his body was brought back to his native village on Tuesday, plunging the entire area into mourning.
Rajpreet Singh was the only son of his parents. His father, Kulwant Singh, a private bus driver, had spent nearly ₹23 lakh—raised through loans and by mortgaging their two acres of land—to secure his son’s future. Rajpreet had moved to Brampton, Canada, around two-and-a-half years ago to pursue his studies.
According to the family, Rajpreet suddenly complained of severe stomach pain and passed away during treatment on January 17. Adding to the family’s grief, his father had to take another loan of ₹9.5 lakh to bring the mortal remains back to Punjab.
Rajpreet Singh was cremated in his native village amid tearful scenes, as grieving parents and relatives gathered to bid him a final farewell. The bereaved family recalled that Rajpreet had promised to speak to his mother every morning and evening, but fate had other plans.
The family has appealed to the Punjab Government to waive off their outstanding loans and provide financial assistance to help them survive the devastating loss and mounting debt.