Members of the Indian community and local representatives joined Ms Sidhu’s grief-stricken brother Jaspreet Singh to pay tribute to the 27-year-old victim who lost her life in a suspected domestic violence attack last month.
Remembering his 'warm and loving' elder sister, Mr Singh who had arrived in Australia just three months before the tragedy rocked his life said his sister was the "pillar of strength of their family."
Highlights:
- Indian community pays tribute to Kamaljeet Sidhu
- The 27-year-old was remembered as a "warm and loving person"
- Ms Sidhu was allegedly stabbed by her husband in a suspected domestic violence attack on May 20
"She was supporting me and the entire family back home. She was extremely warm and emotional and now that I look back, I believe that her compassionate nature resulted in changing the course of her life," said the 25-year-old.
He added that he is thankful to the local community members for their support in these hard times.
Jaspreet Singh (in the centre holding the photo) alongside members of the community during a prayer ceremony on Sunday. Source: Supplied/Harman Foundation
"I am thankful to everyone including the Harman Foundation who have lent me and my family emotional and financial support during these tough times," he said.
Ms Sidhu, who was studying to become a registered nurse in Sydney was found dead at her house in Ramona Avenue with a knife wound around her throat on May 20th.
Harinder Kaur, the co-founder of the non-profit charity, Harman Foundation that organised the vigil said the gathering was limited to 50 people owing to the coronavirus-induced restrictions in place on gatherings.
“There were nearly 50 people at the vigil on Sunday, including Jaspreet, the local mayor, politicians and certain community representatives from Melbourne and Sydney. We lit candles to honour Kamaljeet’s memory and then certain attendees addressed the gathering,” said Ms Kaur.
Expressing her solidarity with Ms Sidhu’s younger brother and the rest of her family back home in the northern Indian state of Punjab, Ms Kaur said it was an “unimaginable tragedy.”
Community members light candles to pay tribute to Indian student Kamaljeet Sidhu on Sunday. Source: Supplied/Harman Foundation
“We have been supporting Kamaljeet’s brother Jaspreet ever since the tragedy occurred. We have also bought him a vehicle to help him with his commute to work with the funds we had raised for him and would continue to support him during these emotional and trying times,” she added.
Originally from Moga district in Punjab, Ms Sidhu arrived in Australia two years ago, on a student visa alongside her husband, Baltej Singh Lailna who is on a dependent spouse visa. The couple had been married for four years.
While Ms Sidhu was a full-time student, Mr Lailna had been working as a part-time employee at a nursery.
Case background:
27-year-old Kamaljeet Sidhu was found dead at her house in Sydney. Source: Supplied
Ms Sidhu was found dead inside her home at Quakers Hill in north-west Sydney on May 20.
Addressing the media, a day after the incident, NSW Police Superintendent Jennifer Scholz said that they were called at the scene by victim’s brother, Mr Singh who also lived in the same house.
"Police attended immediately, located the brother outside and had a conversation. They entered into the unit and found the accused located in the hallway, immediately outside of the bedroom, with a female deceased on the floor," said Ms Scholz.
The victim’s 31-year-old husband, identified as Baltej Singh Lailna, was arrested from the couple's home, shortly after the police arrived at the scene at about 6:30 pm on the day of the incident.
He appeared at the Paramatta Local Court via a video link on May 22 where he did not apply for bail and it was reportedly formally refused. He is due to appear in Penrith Local Court on July 17.
Click on the player above to listen to the interviews in Punjabi.
If you or someone you know is impacted by family or domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
