The Maritime Sikh community is mourning Satinder Kaur, a 24-year-old woman who died after being struck by a Halifax transit bus on Thursday.

Satinder had been living in Canada for 3 years and recently obtained his permanent residency. She attended the Halifax Sikh temple with her husband.

Balbir Singh, secretary of the Maritime Sikh Society, said he met Satinder several times. He expected her to be at the temple that day to take part in the Diwali celebrations.

“It makes you feel like you lost someone who knew you and were close to you. You can imagine that when you hear the news that one more daughter has died today, it is truly unbelievable,” Singh said.

Singh said Satinder’s family had been struggling since Satinder’s death. The Sikh Society helped his family organize his funeral.

“Her husband is here and her sister arrived from Toronto. The rest of his family will come from India tomorrow,” Singh said. “The husband is so traumatized because he was so shocked by her death.”

Satinder’s death is the latest tragedy to shake the Sikh community. Members are mourning the death of Gursimran Kaur, 19, who was found by her mother in a walk-in oven at a Walmart in Halifax on October 19. Gursimran’s funeral has not yet been organized.

“Two deaths in the space of 10 days is really… you’re not prepared for that.” You’re caught off guard,” Singh said.

In August, Singh organized support for the 26-year-old’s family when she was reported missing and later found dead. Jashandeep was kayaking in Long Lake Provincial Park when police received a call from someone in the area who found his kayak empty with his personal belongings.

Singh said the community was shocked after the loss of the three young women,

“Everyone wonders why these young women who come with dreams to this beautiful country and meet this kind of end,” Singh said. “It’s been hard.”

The Maritime Sikh Society is providing counseling to the families of Gursimran and Satinder. The company hosted additional workshops and counseling sessions for the community.

“We will meet with everyone who has concerns or needs advice so that issues like this can be resolved properly and traumatized people or those who have some sort of worry can have access to it,” said Singh.

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