Vidhi Meghani killed in Canada, suspect arrested

A 22-year-old Indian student was killed in a knife attack in Canada earlier this month, prompting an investigation and appeals from her family for the repatriation of her body. Vidhi Kalpeshbhai Meghani, from Borsad in Gujarat’s Anand district, died on May 15 in St. Catharines, a city in the Niagara region.

Police responded to a residence in St. Catharines where they found an adult woman deceased. Local residents who witnessed the attack rushed her to a nearby hospital, but she was declared dead upon arrival. The Niagara Regional Police Service’s Homicide Unit took charge of the investigation. On May 18, officers arrested 40-year-old Joshua St Omer and charged him with second-degree murder. He remains in custody. The motive for the attack has not been disclosed by authorities.

Vidhi Meghani had been living in Canada for four years to pursue higher education. She had completed a three-year business management course and was enrolled in a Personal Support Worker Honours programme. She was also working part-time while reportedly preparing to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

Her father, Kalpeshbhai Meghani, stated that he was informed of the incident by police and has been...