Canadian family suspects son murdered

Friday, 23/08/2013

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

VANCOUVER: A Richmond family is pleading for answers more than five months after their only son mysteriously died in India on a family vacation.

COURTESY: MARK VAN MANEN, PNG, VANCOUVER DESI
Parminder Jassal with his wife Paramjit and their daughter Eminpreet, who holds a photograph of her brother Kevin.

The family left for Ludhiana on February 25 and it was on March 14 that Parminder Jassal found his 20-year-old son Kevin’s lifeless body on the floor of a family member’s house.

He had spent hours that day searching for Kevin, who was supposed to be out for drinks and then off to the gym with a relative.

“When we found Kevin’s body, it had turned blue,” Jassal told Vancouver Desi.

DRUG OVERDOSE RUMOURS
Rumours began to circulate through the small Indian village that his son had died of a drug overdose. Jassal and his family cremated Kevin’s body and held a service in India before they returned to Canada on March 22.

But it wasn’t until three-anda-half weeks ago that Jassal received autopsy results listing the cause of death as aluminium phosphide insecticide poisoning.

According to Jassal, those results only point to a “wellplanned murder”.

“We got suspicious only after we received the post-mortem report,” he said. “(Kevin) had never taken any drugs before. He had such a good life.”

ACCUSING FINGER
Jassal points the finger at the family member with Kevin at the time of his death.

He said the case revolves around Kevin refusing an arranged marriage and debts owed to the family. When Jassal asked relatives to return money owed, they threatened him and Kevin, but the doting father never thought it was something to be taken seriously. Jassal has filed complaints and letters with the Punjab chief minister, Punjab Human Rights Commission, Ludhiana police commissioner, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

According to documents submitted by Jassal, the Punjab Human Rights Commission in Chandigarh has referred the “serious case” to police, requesting an investigation by a senior officer. “We want a hard criminal investigation, because in India they can easily bribe and get (away with it),” said Jassal.

SISTER HEARTBROKEN
Most grief-stricken is his 23-year-old daughter, Eminpreet - disabled and in a wheelchair, she was completely dependent on Kevin. “My son was a pretty big asset to my daughter - if there was no elevator, he is the one who would bring her up and down (stairs),” said Jassal.

In years past, Eminpreet would celebrate Rakhi with Kevin. But on Wednesday, Eminpreet was forced to break that tradition and instead tie the band around a cousin’s wrist.

“It feels different ... he won’t be here,” said Eminpreet, as she held back tears.