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Grandfather killed after being mistaken for kidnapper

An Indian grandfather has been tragically killed in a one-punch attack after being mistaken for a kidnapper. Mewa Singh, 60, was visiting his son and grandson in Christchurch when he suffered the fatal blow at the hands of a stranger. His 32-year-old attacker, whose name has been suppressed, was spending time at a park on April 7th 2023 with his son when he drove off and left his child behind to “teach his son a lesson” after the boy was misbehaving, according to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350337161/totally-unfair-how-one-punch-changed-familys-life-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">Stuff</a>. When he returned a short time late to pick up his son, the man saw a stranger, later identified as Singh, holding his son’s hand near a bus stop and became enraged, shoving Singh and yelling “that’s my f****** son”. He drove the child back to his ex-partner’s house and explained the situation, when his son allegedly said, Singh was “trying to walk him to daddy’s car”. The man then decided to drive back to the park to find Singh, where he confronted the grandfather by grabbing his shirt collar and accusing him of trying to abduct his son. He then delivered a “haymaker-style punch” to his jaw, which caused Singh to fall backwards and hit his head on the pavement. Believing Singh to be dead, his attacker left and told his ex-partner he thought he killed him, prompting her to phone emergency services. Despite being treated in the ICU at Christchurch Hospital, Singh did not regain consciousness and died on April 9th. Singh’s attacker faced Christchurch High Court on Friday, when he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and is scheduled to be sentenced in October. Speaking to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350337161/totally-unfair-how-one-punch-changed-familys-life-forever" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff</a> about the attack 15 months on, Singh’s son Himanshu Keshwer said his family was still beyond devastated at the sudden loss. “He was a very good human being,” he said. Keshwer said what happened to his father was “totally unfair”. “Someone killed my dad and I couldn’t do anything, and still can’t do anything,” he told the outlet. “It makes me sad, it shouldn’t have happened.” A <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/helping-and-support-the-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">fundraiser</a> was launched to support Singh’s family and transport his body back to India, raising $16,316, which exceeded the $15,000 goal. Image credits: givealittle.co.nz

Caring

"I want her parents to know": Fellow Qantas passenger reveals final moments of young woman

The passenger who was seated next to the woman who tragically <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/young-woman-dies-on-qantas-flight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a> after boarding a Qantas flight has broken his silence on her last moments. Ravinder Singh was seated next to Manpreet Kaur, who passed away shortly after boarding a flight from Melbourne to Delhi on June 20th. The 24-year-old student, who had dreams of becoming a chef, was travelling to see her parents in India for the first time in four years, but did not make it to her destination. Now, Ravinder Singh has shared details on her final moments in the hopes it will bring her grieving parents some comfort. “I was sitting next to her on the Qantas flight from Melbourne to Delhi and was actually the last person to talk to her,” Ravinder Singh exclusively told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/passenger-speaks-after-woman-dies-next-to-him-on-qantas-flight/news-story/24e8396d8eb3a1d35aea4a4291b847ba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “When I boarded the plane, she was already seated in the aisle. I was in the window, so I asked if she could please get up so I could occupy my seat. “I noticed that she began scrolling through photos on her mobile phone and stopped at a photograph of an elderly couple. I asked if they were her parents. She smiled and nodded and kept staring at it.” Mr Singh, who had been in Australia to visit family, said that everything seemed fine and the plane eventually began moving towards the runway, ready for take off. He explained that Ms Kaur had then put her phone down and rested her head on the seat in front, when he realised something was not right. “She was wearing her seatbelt and leaned forward to rest her head on the seat in front. As the plane was preparing for takeoff, I wanted to alert her to sit upright,” he shared. “But the plane jerked and I expected her to wake up. But instead, her head just moved towards me." “I got the attention of a flight attention and told her that this woman does not seem very well. She checked her pulse and after that, the reaction of the cabin crew was very commendable." “They tried their best to revive her. She was then evacuated by medical staff.” The retired army officer said the incident still “haunts him” and he wants her parents to know that she “left the world peacefully”. “The incident has been etched in my memory for life,” he said. “It is very difficult to digest that a young girl with whom you were just interacting with has passed away in front of your eyes." “Her innocent face stills haunts me and I want her parents to know she loved them a lot. She left this world peacefully looking at their photograph." “My heart breaks for her family who would have been looking forward to seeing her after a long time.” It is understood that Ms Kaur had been feeling "unwell" when she arrived at the airport and boarded the plane with no issues, with reports suggesting she died of tuberculosis. Image credits: news.com.au

Caring

"I told him he was going to kill someone": Daughter of jailed truck driver speaks

The daughter of Mohinder Singh told her sleep-deprived, drug-affected father he was going to kill someone if he got behind the wheel. A few hours later, the truck driver hit and killed four police officers on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway on April 22, 2020. Singh’s daughter, Harpreet Bajwa, said she told him to stay home that night. Though it wasn’t uncommon for him to talk to his family about witches and ghosts, that day was different. “The way he was acting that day scared me and I told him he was going to kill someone if he drove,” she told Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday, May 17. “His voice was racing, his pupils were bigger. He seemed pretty terrified.” The 21-year-old gave evidence on the first day of a committal hearing against trucking boss Simiona Tuteru, who faces 82 charges including manslaughter. The hearing is expected to examine how much the Connect Logistics manager knew about Singh’s impaired state and whether he did anything to encourage him to drive. Singh is expected to give evidence against his boss next month. The charges Tuteru faces include four counts of manslaughter of Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, and constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney. He’s also been charged with multiple breaches of heavy vehicle regulations, including allegedly needing Singh to work while fatigued. Other charges include obtaining financial advantage by deception, when time sheets were allegedly submitted under a fake name to hide the real numbers of hours worked. Singh was jailed last month for up to 22 years for culpable driving that caused the officer’s deaths. When he crashed a 19-tonne semi-trailer into the emergency lane where police were dealing with speeding driver Richard Pusey, Singh was high on drugs and short on sleep. Singh’s daughter said she didn’t realise he was taking drugs, but noticed the decline in his mental health in the lead-up to the crash. Singh’s wife, Amarjit Bajwa, and their son, Gurdeep Bajwa, also gave evidence about his behaviour on Monday. The committal is expected to continue on Thursday. Image credit: 9NEWS

Legal

Eastern Freeway crash truck driver accused of trafficking drugs to a child

A truck driver who has been accused of killing four police officers on a Melbourne freeway has been charged with allegedly supplying drugs to a child. Court documents have revealed that police claim Mohinder Singh supplied cannabis and meth to a child between April 20 and 16. The truckie is facing 37 charges over the fatal crash on the Eastern Freeway at Kew on April 22 this year. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836038/porsche.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/97c4406ed6f744f2a3023bd77fedd136" /> Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King and constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney all lost their lives that day after they flagged down Porsche driver Richard Pusey who was allegedly speeding. Mr Singh was initially charged with four counts of culpable driving causing death over the fatal crash. However, since then, an additional 33 charges have been added. The truck driver from Cranbourne, appeared to the court through video link in a green prison jumper at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday. It was revealed Mr Singh required to see an expert witness in a “face-to-face consultation” before he could proceed with the matter, his lawyer Steven Pica said. Mr Pusey, a mortgage broker, has also been charged in relation to the crash. Police have alleged that the Porsche driver recorded the crash scene on his mobile phone instead of helping Senior Constable Lynette Taylor as she lay dying on the road.

Legal

33 new charges for cop killer truck driver

Police are laying more charges against the truck driver involved in the car collision on a Melbourne freeway that killed four police officers in April. Mohinder Singh was driving while the officers stood on the emergency lane of the Eastern Freeway at Kew when he crashed into them at around 5:30 pm on April 22. The investigators were preparing to impound a Porsche, which was being driven by Melbourne mortgage broker Richard Pusey. Police allege Mr Pusey was driving at a reckless149 kilometres per hour when they pulled him over. The officers all died at the scene. Mr Singh, 47, was charged in April with four counts of culpable driving. A police spokeswoman said 33 new offences have since been added, including four counts of dangerous driving causing death, driving under the influence, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cannabis and other drug-related offences. Mr Singh remains in custody and is set to face Melbourne Magistrates Court for a committal mention on October 1. Mr Singh's lawyer Steven Pica told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court in April his client felt, "deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic consequences" of the truck crash.

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