Tragic death of 18-year-old Ekampreet Singh Sahni in Newcastle sparks grief and calls for justice
Police have arrested a 21-year-old man, who was recently released on bail, in connection with the murder.
Ekampreet spent the day with his grandparents, who had arrived from India just hours before the tragedy.
Ekampreet, a young man with a bright future ahead of him, migrated to Australia in 2020 with his family from Rajpura, Punjab.
18 years old Ekam Sahni's old picture. Credit: Supplied In an emotional interview with SBS Punjabi, Ekampreet's father Amrinder Sahni shared their ongoing wait for justice.
"On the night of the incident, Ekam spent the day at home with his grandparents, who had just arrived the very same day from India. Around 10 pm, he left to meet friends at a local beach."
"Ekam had spoken to his mother over the phone and assured her that he would return shortly. Tragically, that was the last time we heard from Ekam," Mr Sahni said.
The community is in shock and despair after 18-year-old Ekam Sahni's tragic death. Credit: Supplied What began as a typical evening for a young man turned into a nightmare. Reports indicate that after a minor argument at a beach car park, Ekam was shot in the chest. Following the shooting, the vehicle involved was set on fire a short distance from the place of the tragedy. In a statement shared with SBS Punjabi, NSW Police have advised that a 22-year-old has been arrested at Newcastle Police station and is charged with murder.
"The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to piece together the details surrounding the tragic event," the police said.
Ekam Sahni's father, Amrinder Sahni, with Ekam's mother. Credit: Supplied Community leaders like Amar Singh have expressed their outrage over the senseless killing. "We are calling for a thorough investigation to ensure justice is served", said Mr Singh. Before the tragedy, Ekam was studying automotive engineering and had dreams of opening his own workshop. As the investigation continues, Ekam's family is still trying to come to terms with their loss. Police have further appealed to the community to contact them on 1800 333 000 or email https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au in case anyone has any information on this case. Click on the audio icon to listen to the full report and interview in Punjabi. For news, information and interviews in Punjabi from across Australia and homeland, you can tune in to SBS Punjabi live from Monday to Friday at 4pm on on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the or stream from our . Also, follow us on and .
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The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- The Advertiser
A month on, family of teen shot at Bar Beach car park call for justice
It's been a month since the Sahni family lost their son in a way no parent should ever have to. With wet eyes, Jasmeen Kaur Sahni and Amrinder Singh Sahni held onto one another as they called for justice for their 18-year-old son Ekampreet Singh Sahni, who was shot at Bar Beach car park on the night of April 23. "We just want justice as soon as possible," Mr Sahni said. A crowd gathered on Sunday, May 25, afternoon where Ekam died, all holding signs reading "justice for Ekam" and battery-operated candles. People came from far and wide, and from all walks of life to remember the young man, family friend Sukhjit Singh said. "It's almost been a month now that our charming boy has been gone forever, and after a month we're still trying to find the reasons," Mr Singh said. "We're still trying to get answers but we don't have any yet," he said. "But we have hope for justice." He said while he knew the pain of their son's death would be with the family for a long time, he hoped they would have answers as soon as possible. "Let's keep Ekam's memory alive," he said. "We don't want this to be forgotten that Ekam lost his life at such a young age, 18 years is the age when people share their dreams." Ekam's father, Mr Sahni previously told the Newcastle Herald that his son was an "intelligent" young man who worked hard at his job at Harris Farm, helping his parents, taking his younger brother to and from school and looking after him while his mother worked at a restaurant. Police allege Ekam was shot in the torso by a person a complete stranger to him. He died at the scene. Mr Singh translated Ekam's grandmother Manmohan Kaur Sahni Ekam words at the vigil into English. She said her grandson had left the house at 10.15pm that night to say he was going to his friends but he never returned home. "This is the spot where Ekam lost his life, without any reason, without knowing the guy who killed him," she said. Family friend Ravinder Kalara said the family had gone through so much over the past month and she couldn't imagine what was going through their minds. "We can feel just 1 per cent of the pain they are going through," she said. "We are all here to show our solidarity against the crime." Investigators have been told that 22-year-old Windale man Decklen Deaves-Thornton was drawn in by two groups of people fighting in the car park late at night. He was accused of repeatedly jabbing the gun into Ekam's chest before the weapon discharged and he was shot dead. The 22-year-old handed himself in to detectives on April 25 and was later charged with murder and faced Paramatta Bail Court on April 26. He did not enter a plea or apply for bail. His matter was adjourned to Newcastle Local Court on June 16. Brendan Tobin, a friend of the Sahni family, said they had met with detectives who had assured the family that they were completing a full investigation. He hoped that the matter could be resolved before 18 months time. "I didn't have the opportunity to know Ekam but I feel his spirit through this family and his younger brother, and through this community. It's a terrible tragedy," he said. State member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp attended the late weekend vigil and spoke about how his daughter worked with Ekam at Harris Farm. "She said he was an absolutely lovely young man," he said. "It is absolutely heartbreaking to be here to fight for justice," he said. It's been a month since the Sahni family lost their son in a way no parent should ever have to. With wet eyes, Jasmeen Kaur Sahni and Amrinder Singh Sahni held onto one another as they called for justice for their 18-year-old son Ekampreet Singh Sahni, who was shot at Bar Beach car park on the night of April 23. "We just want justice as soon as possible," Mr Sahni said. A crowd gathered on Sunday, May 25, afternoon where Ekam died, all holding signs reading "justice for Ekam" and battery-operated candles. People came from far and wide, and from all walks of life to remember the young man, family friend Sukhjit Singh said. "It's almost been a month now that our charming boy has been gone forever, and after a month we're still trying to find the reasons," Mr Singh said. "We're still trying to get answers but we don't have any yet," he said. "But we have hope for justice." He said while he knew the pain of their son's death would be with the family for a long time, he hoped they would have answers as soon as possible. "Let's keep Ekam's memory alive," he said. "We don't want this to be forgotten that Ekam lost his life at such a young age, 18 years is the age when people share their dreams." Ekam's father, Mr Sahni previously told the Newcastle Herald that his son was an "intelligent" young man who worked hard at his job at Harris Farm, helping his parents, taking his younger brother to and from school and looking after him while his mother worked at a restaurant. Police allege Ekam was shot in the torso by a person a complete stranger to him. He died at the scene. Mr Singh translated Ekam's grandmother Manmohan Kaur Sahni Ekam words at the vigil into English. She said her grandson had left the house at 10.15pm that night to say he was going to his friends but he never returned home. "This is the spot where Ekam lost his life, without any reason, without knowing the guy who killed him," she said. Family friend Ravinder Kalara said the family had gone through so much over the past month and she couldn't imagine what was going through their minds. "We can feel just 1 per cent of the pain they are going through," she said. "We are all here to show our solidarity against the crime." Investigators have been told that 22-year-old Windale man Decklen Deaves-Thornton was drawn in by two groups of people fighting in the car park late at night. He was accused of repeatedly jabbing the gun into Ekam's chest before the weapon discharged and he was shot dead. The 22-year-old handed himself in to detectives on April 25 and was later charged with murder and faced Paramatta Bail Court on April 26. He did not enter a plea or apply for bail. His matter was adjourned to Newcastle Local Court on June 16. Brendan Tobin, a friend of the Sahni family, said they had met with detectives who had assured the family that they were completing a full investigation. He hoped that the matter could be resolved before 18 months time. "I didn't have the opportunity to know Ekam but I feel his spirit through this family and his younger brother, and through this community. It's a terrible tragedy," he said. State member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp attended the late weekend vigil and spoke about how his daughter worked with Ekam at Harris Farm. "She said he was an absolutely lovely young man," he said. "It is absolutely heartbreaking to be here to fight for justice," he said. It's been a month since the Sahni family lost their son in a way no parent should ever have to. With wet eyes, Jasmeen Kaur Sahni and Amrinder Singh Sahni held onto one another as they called for justice for their 18-year-old son Ekampreet Singh Sahni, who was shot at Bar Beach car park on the night of April 23. "We just want justice as soon as possible," Mr Sahni said. A crowd gathered on Sunday, May 25, afternoon where Ekam died, all holding signs reading "justice for Ekam" and battery-operated candles. People came from far and wide, and from all walks of life to remember the young man, family friend Sukhjit Singh said. "It's almost been a month now that our charming boy has been gone forever, and after a month we're still trying to find the reasons," Mr Singh said. "We're still trying to get answers but we don't have any yet," he said. "But we have hope for justice." He said while he knew the pain of their son's death would be with the family for a long time, he hoped they would have answers as soon as possible. "Let's keep Ekam's memory alive," he said. "We don't want this to be forgotten that Ekam lost his life at such a young age, 18 years is the age when people share their dreams." Ekam's father, Mr Sahni previously told the Newcastle Herald that his son was an "intelligent" young man who worked hard at his job at Harris Farm, helping his parents, taking his younger brother to and from school and looking after him while his mother worked at a restaurant. Police allege Ekam was shot in the torso by a person a complete stranger to him. He died at the scene. Mr Singh translated Ekam's grandmother Manmohan Kaur Sahni Ekam words at the vigil into English. She said her grandson had left the house at 10.15pm that night to say he was going to his friends but he never returned home. "This is the spot where Ekam lost his life, without any reason, without knowing the guy who killed him," she said. Family friend Ravinder Kalara said the family had gone through so much over the past month and she couldn't imagine what was going through their minds. "We can feel just 1 per cent of the pain they are going through," she said. "We are all here to show our solidarity against the crime." Investigators have been told that 22-year-old Windale man Decklen Deaves-Thornton was drawn in by two groups of people fighting in the car park late at night. He was accused of repeatedly jabbing the gun into Ekam's chest before the weapon discharged and he was shot dead. The 22-year-old handed himself in to detectives on April 25 and was later charged with murder and faced Paramatta Bail Court on April 26. He did not enter a plea or apply for bail. His matter was adjourned to Newcastle Local Court on June 16. Brendan Tobin, a friend of the Sahni family, said they had met with detectives who had assured the family that they were completing a full investigation. He hoped that the matter could be resolved before 18 months time. "I didn't have the opportunity to know Ekam but I feel his spirit through this family and his younger brother, and through this community. It's a terrible tragedy," he said. State member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp attended the late weekend vigil and spoke about how his daughter worked with Ekam at Harris Farm. "She said he was an absolutely lovely young man," he said. "It is absolutely heartbreaking to be here to fight for justice," he said. It's been a month since the Sahni family lost their son in a way no parent should ever have to. With wet eyes, Jasmeen Kaur Sahni and Amrinder Singh Sahni held onto one another as they called for justice for their 18-year-old son Ekampreet Singh Sahni, who was shot at Bar Beach car park on the night of April 23. "We just want justice as soon as possible," Mr Sahni said. A crowd gathered on Sunday, May 25, afternoon where Ekam died, all holding signs reading "justice for Ekam" and battery-operated candles. People came from far and wide, and from all walks of life to remember the young man, family friend Sukhjit Singh said. "It's almost been a month now that our charming boy has been gone forever, and after a month we're still trying to find the reasons," Mr Singh said. "We're still trying to get answers but we don't have any yet," he said. "But we have hope for justice." He said while he knew the pain of their son's death would be with the family for a long time, he hoped they would have answers as soon as possible. "Let's keep Ekam's memory alive," he said. "We don't want this to be forgotten that Ekam lost his life at such a young age, 18 years is the age when people share their dreams." Ekam's father, Mr Sahni previously told the Newcastle Herald that his son was an "intelligent" young man who worked hard at his job at Harris Farm, helping his parents, taking his younger brother to and from school and looking after him while his mother worked at a restaurant. Police allege Ekam was shot in the torso by a person a complete stranger to him. He died at the scene. Mr Singh translated Ekam's grandmother Manmohan Kaur Sahni Ekam words at the vigil into English. She said her grandson had left the house at 10.15pm that night to say he was going to his friends but he never returned home. "This is the spot where Ekam lost his life, without any reason, without knowing the guy who killed him," she said. Family friend Ravinder Kalara said the family had gone through so much over the past month and she couldn't imagine what was going through their minds. "We can feel just 1 per cent of the pain they are going through," she said. "We are all here to show our solidarity against the crime." Investigators have been told that 22-year-old Windale man Decklen Deaves-Thornton was drawn in by two groups of people fighting in the car park late at night. He was accused of repeatedly jabbing the gun into Ekam's chest before the weapon discharged and he was shot dead. The 22-year-old handed himself in to detectives on April 25 and was later charged with murder and faced Paramatta Bail Court on April 26. He did not enter a plea or apply for bail. His matter was adjourned to Newcastle Local Court on June 16. Brendan Tobin, a friend of the Sahni family, said they had met with detectives who had assured the family that they were completing a full investigation. He hoped that the matter could be resolved before 18 months time. "I didn't have the opportunity to know Ekam but I feel his spirit through this family and his younger brother, and through this community. It's a terrible tragedy," he said. State member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp attended the late weekend vigil and spoke about how his daughter worked with Ekam at Harris Farm. "She said he was an absolutely lovely young man," he said. "It is absolutely heartbreaking to be here to fight for justice," he said.
SBS Australia
09-05-2025
- SBS Australia
Indian Consulate in Melbourne issues alert after emergency number 'compromised', around 60 people receive 'scam calls'
The Indian Consulate in Melbourne has issued an urgent warning after its emergency contact number was 'spoofed' and used in a visa scam targeting members of the Indian-Australian community. An official from the Consulate General of India in Melbourne told SBS Punjabi, on condition of anonymity, that "someone spoofed the number". "The compromised number, typically used for emergency situations after business hours, especially for urgent visa requests during family emergencies was reportedly misused by unknown individuals to make fraudulent calls." Indian Consulate in Melbourne's phone number 'compromised', officials urge Indian diaspora to refer only to official sources and not to use the old number anymore. Credit: CGI The official also confirmed that the miscreants made calls from the number with the"purpose of making money" and made "irrelevant claims". "We received several complaints from members of the community saying they were contacted by someone pretending to be from the consulate, asking for sensitive information," the official told SBS Punjabi. "The counsellor was contacted by nearly 50 to 60 people raising such concerns." The consulate has confirmed that these calls were not made by them and has warned the public not to share personal details or transfer money to anyone contacting them via the old emergency number. "Now, the compromised number has been changed and a new emergency has been published on the CGI Melbourne website and shared via official social media platforms" the official said. Community members are urged to refer to official sources for the updated number and stay vigilant against scams. Listen to this podcast to know more.... SBS Punjabi 09/05/2025 03:20 🔊 Find all our podcasts and stories that matter here at SBS Punjabi Podcast Collection. 💻 For news, information and interviews in Punjabi from across Australia and the homeland, you can tune in to SBS Punjabi live from Monday to Friday at 4pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website . 📲 Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram .
7NEWS
05-05-2025
- 7NEWS
Migrant family in deep shock over alleged murder of Ekampreet Sahni
A heartbroken father has described the moment when two police turned up at his family home to tell him and his wife their son had been gunned down. Ekampreet Sahni, 18, was allegedly murdered by a man who police say got out of car, opened fire on the victim and drove off in a white SUV on April 23. Sahni had been hanging out at a Newcastle beach car park about 10 minutes' drive from his home. Paramedics treated the 18-year-old for a gunshot wound in his chest but he died just before midnight. 'He was a good boy, very hard-working and caring for everyone,' his father Arminder Singh Sahni told AAP. 'It is still such a huge shock for us. We can't believe he's gone.' Sahni said he and his wife had tried calling Ekampreet several times and were worried for his safety when he did not pick up. They had last heard from him about 10pm, and their worst fears were realised when police officers knocked on their door about 2am. 'He told us 'I am coming back' but after we didn't hear until 11pm, I then called twice, and then we got the news he was gone, the two policemen came home and they told us,' an emotional Sahni said. The Sikh family had migrated to Sydney at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to be closer to family and settled in Newcastle less than a year ago. They are on a temporary visa and hope to secure permanent residency, adding another layer of stress to the family as they prepare to bury their son. Sahni said Ekampreet was ambitious and studying automotive engineering with dreams of running his own business. 'He was always helpful and caring for everyone around him, from his grandparents to his younger brother,' he said. A scuffle between two groups of people had broken out before the shooting. Accused killer Decklen Deaves-Thornton, 22, later handed himself to police and was charged with murder. He appeared in court via video link on April 26 and will appear in a Newcastle court in June. The vehicle Deaves-Thornton was allegedly driving was later found on fire in a nearby suburb. Police described the alleged shooting as 'a senseless incident' which the 'community won't stand for'. Surrounded by friends and family, the Sahnis are preparing for their son's funeral on Wednesday at Beresfield Gurudwara Sahib where hundreds of people are expected to pay tribute. A fundraiser has been set up by the tight-knit Sikh community.
