Oz Indian leaders urge calm on death of Gurshan Singh in Melbourne

MELBOURNE - Indian community leaders in Australia have pleaded for calm during the murder investigation into death of three-year-old boy Gurshan Singh Kaurchanna in Melbourne.

Sikh community figure and Darebin councilor, Tim Singh Laurence, said he did not think Gurshan’s death would change the views of Indians living in Melbourne.

“I don’t think we’ve got to that point. We’re all just in shock. We’re asking for calm in the Indian community throughout Melbourne and also the Punjabi community back in India,” The Herald Sun quoted Laurence, as saying.

“We’ve got a very large Punjabi community here. The Australian community doesn’t think about moving if there’s one murder,” he added.

Laurence said community groups had visited Gurshan’s devastated parents to offer their condolences and support.

“At the moment various community groups, including Indian including non-Indian groups, are offering assistance, but the family has to go through the process,” Laurence said.

“They don’t understand things that they’ll need. When they require things they’ll be given the full assistance of the Victorian Government, Indian High Commissioner and all the community groups in this northern suburbs area,” he added.

The Indian community has gathered around Gurshan’s parents and relatives after his body was found dumped by the side of a road in Melbourne’s northern.

The toddler had disappeared six hours earlier from his Lalor home 30 kilometres away.

Gurshan’s parents are staying with a cousin in nearby Thomastown and being comforted by members of the Indian community, including Indian High Commissioner Sujatha Singh. (ANI)