Melbourne: An Indian national arrested over
the death of three-year-old Gurshan Singh Channa has claimed
that he accidentally knocked the boy down, as grieving parents
sought harsh punishment for the "killer" of their only child.
During interrogation by police, 23-year-old Gursewak
Dhillon admitted disposing of the toddler`s body, but denied
deliberately injuring him, `The Age` reported today.
He said the boy was accidentally knocked unconscious on
Thursday last when he opened the door of the house in David
Street, Lalor, where he had been staying with the toddler`s
family, sources told agency.
Dhillon claimed he panicked and put the unconscious boy
in the boot of his car, drove for about three hours and dumped
him 20 kilometres away in Oaklands Junction without checking
whether the child was alive or not.
Victorian police, however, said the toddler could have
been saved if he had received timely basic first aid than
being left lying in the boot of the car.
If Dhillon`s version that he accidentally knocked the boy
unconscious was true, it was possible that Gurshan could have
recovered if he was not left trapped in a car boot for hours,
police were quoted as saying by the local media.
The toddler`s father Harjit Singh Channa sought harsh
sentencing for Dhillon. "I want law to punish him as he is
responsible for my son`s death."
He said Dhillon had confessed in front of him that he was
involved in putting the child in the boot of his car.
"I met Gursewak along with the police and he told me
on my face that he had done it," Harjit told agency.
"I have lost my child and I won`t be able to get him
back," he said, adding "I want the accused to serve harsh
sentence for what he has done to my family for no reason."
He said when he asked Dhillon why he did this, the
accused responded that it was by mistake.
"But killing a three-year-old child cannot be a mistake,"
said Harjit, who is now desperate to return to India along
with his wife Harpreet and perform the last rites of their son
with other family members.
He said he has not yet been informed when the body is
going to be released by the Coroner`s Court.
Meanwhile, Australian immigration authorities are
investigating whether Dhillon, who has been charged with
manslaughter due to criminal negligence over the death of
Gurshan, was living here on a false passport.
"(Such) allegations have been made and the man charged
(over Gurshan`s death) is being investigated for possible
immigration fraud," an Immigration Department spokesman was
quoted as saying by `The Age`.
Detectives were also now looking for a woman who gave
Dhillon a lift on the day of the boy`s death. They said the
woman stopped to help Dhillon between noon and 3pm last
Thursday in Melbourne`s northern suburbs after he ran out of
petrol and is believed to have driven him to a service
station.
Forensic experts also tested the car that was used by
Dhillon to carry the toddler.
PTI
