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Racial attack claims life of Indian in Ontario
CoHNA Canada alleged that the suspect had a history of directing racial and Hinduphobic slurs at Kathireeya and his family, including during the attack.
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Staff Reporter
- Tue, 08, Apr 2025
- 17:45 EDT
- 251
Dharmesh Kathireeya / GoFundMe
A 27-year-old Indian national was fatally stabbed in a suspected racial attack by a neighbor in Rockland, Ontario, near Ottawa, on April 4.
The victim, Dharmesh Kathireeya, was attacked just before 3 p.m. while exiting a shared laundry room in his apartment building.
Also Read: Indian-origin woman attacked in Canada train station
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) confirmed the incident as a homicide and identified the suspect as 83-year-old Gilles Martel. He has been charged with second-degree murder. While the initial emergency call was for a stabbing, police have not confirmed the exact cause of death or commented on the motive, according to local reports.
Community advocacy group Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) Canada alleged that the suspect had a history of directing racial and Hinduphobic slurs at Kathireeya and his family — including during the fatal attack. The family, who had Hindu friends visiting at the time, had reportedly faced repeated harassment from the same neighbor.
Despite these allegations, the OPP has not classified the incident as a hate crime.
In a statement, the Consulate General of India in Ottawa said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an Indian national in Rockland near Ottawa, due to stabbing. Police have stated a suspect has been taken into custody. We are in close contact through a local community association to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved family.”
We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of an Indian national in Rockland near Ottawa, due to stabbing. Police has stated a suspect has been taken into custody. We are in close contact through a local community association to provide all possible assistance to the bereaved…
— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) April 5, 2025
CoHNA further stated on X,“This tragedy is part of a disturbing pattern where violence against Hindu Canadians, their temples, and their organizations is consistently downplayed or dismissed by law enforcement.”
The group urged the Hindu community in Canada to document and report hate incidents before they escalate.
Horrifying hate crime: Dharmesh Kathireeya stabbed to death
— CoHNA Canada (@CoHNACanada) April 7, 2025
In a horrifying act of violence, 27-year-old Dharmesh Kathireeya was brutally murdered on April 4 by his Caucasian neighbor in Clarence-Rockland, near Canada’s capital. The assailant reportedly shouted racial slurs… pic.twitter.com/wiJDHIcdej
Originally from Gujarat, India, Kathireeya moved to Canada in 2019 as an international student and was living on a work permit. He and his wife had settled in Rockland in early 2022. Kathireeya was employed at Milano Pizza, where he was known for his kind and helpful nature.
The Gujarati Cultural Association of Ottawa has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with repatriating his body to India.
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