#UPDATED 29th December 2016:
In a shocking incident, a 25-year-old International student from Haryana has died in Christchurch Hospital this morning after suffering critical stab wounds.
A 22-year-old woman has been charged in the case that left Hardeep Singh suffering with critical stabbing wounds on Christmas Day afternoon, at a property in Chasmere Road in Christchurch. She was arrested from the property, searched and taken into custody by Police.
As per a close friend of Hardeep Singh, the police has confirmed that the woman, Franchesca Kororia Borell, has admitted stabbing Singh, that led to his death. He has also confirmed that the two were in a relationship but is not sure of the cause that might have led to an argument and then stabbing.
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Franchesca, appeared in Christchurch District Court this morning and was initially chargedwith intent to cause grievous bodily harm. But after the death of Singh, the enquiry has been accordingly upgraded and police will now open a homicide investigation.
Police is not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.
Hardeep Singh Deol originally hails from Rania town of Haryana in India and came to New Zealand for studies two years back. He was currently on Job Search visa.
His brother in India has been informed of the incident but the devastating news has yet been kept from his parents.
The family has no idea about the motive of the crime.
“He never told his family members about the girl, identified as Franchesca Kororia Borell by the police.
After his death, his Indian friends in New Zealand told us that Hardeep knew the girl for the past 15-20 days,” Manpreet said.He said Hardeep’s mother Sukhwinder Kaur and sister Sandeep Kaur were inconsolable and the delay in arrival of his body is making their condition worse.
The Indian High Commission in New Zealand has decided to bear the cost of sending mortal remains of the youth, Hardeep Singh Deol. Further assurance has also come in for help from Union Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Swaraj tweeted in the morning expressing her condolences and sought contact number of the family so that she could speak to them.
Deol family – Rania (Sirsa) : I hv seen news report and given instructions to our High Commissioner in New Zealand. https://t.co/dDDOqiemt3
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) 29 December 2016
She said she had read the news and has instructed the Indian High Commission in New Zealand to expedite the bringing back of the dead body. She also spoke to the family and assured full support of the governmentEarlier, assurance of help was given by Sandeep Sood, Second Secretary in the Indian High Commission in New Zealand, on Thursday in reply to an email by Sirsa Deputy Commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar.
He had also assured that the Indian High Commission will be helping the family in whatever way is possible to expedite the process of sending mortal remains of the youth to his native place.
The Indian community in Christchurch has been calling for help from the community to make arrangements for sending Singh’s body back to his hometown. A Sikh Gurdwara in Christchurch is requesting donations from the community. The details were shared by one of Singh’s friends on Facebook.