Ramandeep Dhillon and his family often spent time outdoors
An Indian-origin father of one has died after a tragic two-car accident while working a late shift for Uber in New Zealand, devastating his family.36-year-old Ramandeep Dhillon from Papamoa was killed on Wednesday when his car was involved in an accident on the Te Puke Highway, between Bell Road and Poplar Lane, at about 7.15pm.Police said one person died at the scene, while two passengers in the other car were injured. The circumstances of the accident are still under investigation and have been referred to the coroner.Dhillon had left home earlier that evening after spending some time with his wife, Virpal Kaur, and their 18-month-old daughter, Kudrat. He told them he would come back later for dinner, but he never came back.When he stopped answering calls, anxiety grew before police arrived later that night to inform his wife of his death.“I cried, cried, cried. I felt like my life was spoiled now,” Kaur told the NZ Herald.Dillon was born in Punjab, India and moved to New Zealand in 2015 on a student visa. He later returned to India in 2024 to marry Kaur after they were introduced through family connections.After their marriage, the couple settled in Papamoa, Bay of Plenty, where they worked in kiwifruit orchards before Dillon later began driving for Uber to support the family and spend more time at home after the birth of their daughter.
Kaur said the job gave him the flexibility to stay close to his daughter, and described how happy he was to become a father.“He was so excited when he found out he was going to be a dad,” she told the NZ Herald.The couple named their daughter Kudrat, which means “nature.” Since his death, the child has continued to ask where her father is.Friends and family described Dillon as a devoted husband and father who always prioritized time with his daughter, even during work breaks.“If he missed his daughter, he would come home, spend time with her, then go back to work,” a close friend told the NZ Herald.Gurlabh Singh, his best friend of 12 years, said Dillon was a positive, caring person who supported those around him, including picking him up from the airport when he first arrived in New Zealand.A Givealittle page set up for the family has raised tens of thousands of dollars to help cover funeral costs, rent and living expenses as Kaur and their daughter face life without him.