Techie’s body arrives home from Canada; father alleges 'targeted attack'

Bengaluru: “My son was deliberately targeted. There was no provocation — they open fired on him multiple times,” said Raja Nandakumar, father of R Chandan Kumar (37), a Bengaluru techie shot dead in Canada on February 7. 

Chandan’s mortal remains reached the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) around 11.45 pm on Monday and the family home in Thyamagondlu, near Nelamangala, around 2.45 am, drawing hundreds of grieving relatives, friends, villagers and local politicians. Many broke down.

The last rites were conducted later in the day in accordance with family customs. 

Nandakumar, a retired physical education teacher at a government school, said his son loved the US, where he had worked for a few years and was happy with his job and pay.

“He later shifted to Canada and had been living there for the past six years. He would often speak about life there. He was satisfied with his job and lifestyle,” Nandakumar told DH.

According to reports, assailants open fired at Chandan multiple times in the parking lot of Woodbine Shopping Centre, near Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27. A vehicle parked near the mall entrance was found with several bullet holes on the driver’s side. 

Nandakumar recalled that he last spoke to his son around 4.30 am on February 6. “We spoke normally. He had seen several marriage proposals and was in the process of finalising one,” he said. 

Chandan’s mother Shailaja said her son had last visited India in May 2025 and met all his friends and relatives. “He also attended the funeral of my father, K N Ratnakar Shetty, who was 102 years old and passed away due to health issues in Chitradurga. He was very attached to the family,” she said. 

Chandan’s parents said he wanted to settle in Canada and dreamt of promoting the Kannada language and culture there. 

“He even insisted that we move to Canada but we advised him to get married first,” his father said, adding that Chandan could adjust to any place and make friends easily. 

Chandan had planned to return to India earlier but later changed his mind as work commitments kept him busy. 

In a LinkedIn post two years ago, Chandan’s childhood friend Sumukh S G had described him as a “true community champion,” noting that Chandan managed more than 2,500 WhatsApp groups while working full-time as a project manager.

Chandan actively guided newcomers on visa procedures, Permanent Residency (PR) applications, job searches and immigration formalities, especially for those from Karnataka. He was also associated with community organisations and frequently connected people to verified resources and volunteers. “He was always just a message away,” he had added. 

Sumukh, who attended the funeral on Monday, said Chandan’s death had left a void not only in his family but also among the wider Indian community in Canada. 

Canadian police are investigating the shooting incident while the family reiterated their demand for a thorough probe into the exact motive behind the murder, maintaining that Chandan was deliberately targeted.