Canada Breaking: Two Punjab youth drown in Montreal Canal
Canada Breaking: Two Punjab youth drown in Montreal Canal
Family of 26-year-old Lovepreet Singh appeals to Centre and Punjab Government to bring his body home
Montreal (Canada), July 7, 2026:
In a tragic incident in Canada, two young men from Punjab lost their lives after drowning in the Lachine Canal in Montreal. One of the victims, Lovepreet Singh (26) of Tapa Mandi in Barnala district, reportedly drowned while attempting to rescue his friend who had slipped into the canal.
The second victim has been identified as a resident of Butala village in Naurangpur, Amritsar district. Canadian authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to family members, Lovepreet Singh had been living in Montreal on a work permit for the past two and a half years, where he was employed as a truck driver. He had moved to Canada after completing his Class 12 education in search of better employment opportunities.
His family said Lovepreet had gone to Canada after his father, Balveer Singh, a retired CRPF personnel, sold nearly two acres of family land to finance his son’s journey abroad.
The incident reportedly occurred when Lovepreet’s friend accidentally slipped into the canal. Seeing him in distress, Lovepreet jumped into the water in an attempt to save him. However, both young men were swept away and drowned.
Canadian emergency services launched a rescue operation that continued for several hours. The bodies of both victims were recovered from the canal and taken to a local hospital, where they were declared dead. Canadian police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
The news has left Lovepreet’s family devastated. He was the only son of his parents and is survived by his father, mother Veerpal Kaur, and sister. Family members said Lovepreet had spoken to them just ten days before the tragedy.
Through tears, the bereaved parents appealed to the Central Government, the Punjab Government, and members of the Punjabi diaspora to help bring their son’s mortal remains back to Punjab so that his last rites can be performed according to Sikh religious traditions.
Lovepreet’s maternal uncle Gurtej Singh also urged authorities and social organisations to extend assistance to the grieving family.
Expressing condolences, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) district president Darshan Singh Mander assured the family of all possible support in facilitating the repatriation of Lovepreet Singh’s body to Punjab.
The identity of the second deceased youth has been confirmed by local sources as the son of Sukhraj Singh and Jaswant Kaur, residents of Butala village in Amritsar district. Furthe
