An international student from India was gunned down in South Vancouver on Friday as Vancouver Police investigate the murder that occurred in the Sunset neighbourhood. VPD said officers were called to East 55th Avenue and Main Street around 11 p.m. on April 12 after residents heard the sound of gun shots.  Chirag Antil was found deceased inside a vehicle in the area.

By PD Raj – Senior Reporter DESIBUZZCanada

With News Files

VANCOUVER – An international student from India was gunned down in South Vancouver on Friday as Vancouver Police investigate the murder that occurred in the Sunset neighbourhood.

VPD said officers were called to East 55th Avenue and Main Street around 11 p.m. on April 12 after residents heard the sound of gun shots. 

Chirag Antil, 24, was found deceased inside a vehicle in the area.

No arrests have been made and the investigation remains ongoing. Police are asking anyone with information to call VPD’s Homicide Unit.

Anyone with information can call VPD’s Homicide Unit at 604-717-2500.

Romit Antil, the victim’s brother from Haryana, Sonipat in India told CityNews that Chirag was a kind-hearted person.

“My brother and I had a great relationship, we used to talk every day, day and night. I spoke to him last before the accident happened. He was kind of happy, he never had any issues or fights with anyone, ever. He was an extremely polite person,” Romit said in Hindi.

“He was a humanitarian… the kind that would say he could not do anything immoral.”

Chirag moved to Vancouver in September 2022, had just finished his MBA at University Canada West, and had recently gotten his work permit.

Romit says, his brother’s roommate got in touch with his family in India when he heard gunshots near their home, then they received an email from VPD.

“We then got an email from a police constable telling us what happened. We asked the police what happened to my brother, and they are saying ‘we are just investigating,’” he said.

Romit says, Chirag was just heading out to have a good night on his weekend when he got killed.

“He had just finished a 14-hour shift, after work he came home, and ate his food. He had Saturday off so he thought ‘why don’t I go out.’ He had just left his place, and as he sat in his car, he got murdered — from what have been told,” he said.

Romit told CityNews that he doesn’t even have proof that his brother is dead right now, and is coming up with his own conclusions as of now.

“His friends think that it might be an accidental murder where someone else was meant to be killed but they accidentally killed him,” Romit said.

He says, because Chirag didn’t have any enemies, there was no other explanation.

“He always spoke to everyone with respect, never raised his voice. He didn’t have anything to do with anyone. If he fought with anyone, we would probably know that he had problems,” he said.

“We don’t have any issues with anyone in India either. So, we’re not able to understand why this happened. We can only conclude that he got murdered accidentally.”

Romit feels helpless and says he and his family want his body returned to India.

“Just this, Canadian government, please just send my brother’s body to India as soon as possible, so that we can be at peace.”