Vanshika Saini, the 21-year-old daughter of a Punjab-based Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Ottawa, Canada. Her body was found near a beach in the Canadian capital days after she was reported missing.
Since April 22, Vanshika had been missing from her rental house. According to media reports, all attempts by her friends and family to contact her failed as her mobile phone remained switched off.
Who Was Vanshika Saini?
Vanshika was the daughter of Davinder Saini, a resident of Saini Mohalla in Dera Bassi, near Chandigarh, and a close aide of AAP MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa. After completing her Class 12 in India, she moved to Canada to pursue further studies.
She had recently completed her final college examinations on April 18 and was also working part-time at a call center. She was scheduled to appear for her IELTS examination on April 25, just days after she went missing, as per the Times of India reports.
Family Seeks Thorough Probe
The Saini family has appealed to Canadian authorities for a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding Vanshika’s death.
Indian High Commission Responds
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa has confirmed the incident and expressed condolences to the bereaved family. In a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the commission said, “We are deeply saddened to be informed of the death of Ms. Vanshika, a student from India in Ottawa. The matter has been taken up with concerned authorities and the cause is under investigation as per local police. We are in close contact with the bereaved kin and local community associations to provide all possible assistance.”
“HCI Ottawa is in touch with local partner Indo Canadian community associations and concerned authorities regarding a missing person alert for an Indian student in Ottawa. If any one has any information, please provide the same to the contacts as given below,” earlier, the High Commission stated in a post.
