Indian national dies after being hit by bus in Australia

Melbourne, July 24 (IANS) A 28-year-old Indian national from Ludhiana, who had been working as a driver for the past six months in South Australia, died after being hit by a bus.

Gagandeep Singh from Ludhiana had parked his bus on Conroy Street and had exited when the bus rolled forward and pinned him against a gate this month, Australian broadcaster SBS Punjabi reported.

While Gagandeep received immediate medical response from paramedics at the scene, he died after being transported to a nearby hospital, police said.

“I talked to him (the) day before the incident. Excitedly sharing his plans for the future, he mentioned that it would be his final shift as a bus driver in Port Augusta. He had been eagerly looking forward to relocating to Melbourne later this month. Little did he know that fate had other plans in store for him,” Rubal Singh, a relative of the deceased, told SBS Punjabi.

Rubal Singh said that the Major Crash Unit was investigating the circumstances leading to his death.

“We believe somehow the handbrake wasn’t applied to the bus that he parked at the yard. After exiting the bus, he realised that it was still moving. He tried to stop it by shutting down the roller gate but was tragically crushed between the bus and the gate,” he added.

A fundraiser has been set up by the community to take Gagandeep's body back to India and support the family that lost their only son and working member.

“Tragedy has struck the family as we mourn the sudden and untimely loss of our beloved, Gagandeep Singh,” GoFundMe organiser Sunny Singh wrote.

“Together, we want to honour Gagandeep’s memory and send him back to his parents in India so they can say their final goodbyes following all the last rituals and traditions.”

The campaign has so far raised A$59,000.