Indian international student Komalpreet Kaur, 19, was killed in May
More than a month after Indian international student Komalpreet Kaur was killed by a car in a Perth shopping center car park, a teenage driver has now been charged in the crash.A 19-year-old Forestfield man has been charged with reckless driving causing death following an investigation into the crash at Bentley Plaza in Perth’s south-east on May 16, Western Australia Police said.19-year-old Kaur was hit by a blue Hyundai i30 in the shopping center car park at around 11.30pm and became trapped under the car. She was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries but later died.The accused is scheduled to appear in court on July 3.The tragedy shocked Perth’s Indian community. Originally from Ludhiana in Punjab, Kaur moved to Australia in July 2025 to pursue her studies. She was enrolled in community service at Stanley College. Kaur was also working part-time while building a new life in Australia.Her friends remembered her as a smart, determined young woman with big ambitions, Australia Today reported.
Her friend Sakshi Roopal said: “She was charming, always smiling. She filled our lives with happiness.”Witnesses described chaotic scenes immediately after the collision, as bystanders rushed to help free Kaur from under the car.Nathan Berg, who was at the scene, recalls hearing a loud crash before calling nearby shoppers for help.“I just started yelling, ‘Any man, any man,’ pointing at people, making them approach, ‘Any male, any male,’ I wanted to turn that car over,” he said.“We ended up with a good 10 to 12 people…we got it [the car] “Someone pulled her out.”According to witnesses, a woman in the crowd immediately began CPR before paramedics arrived and Kaur was taken to the hospital.Police had earlier said that the driver and Kaur were known to each other. The driver also called for an ambulance following the accident.In the weeks following her death, community members launched a fundraising campaign to support her family.
The fundraising campaign initially aimed to raise A$50,000 but has exceeded its target, raising more than A$82,000 to help cover funeral expenses, memorial arrangements and the cost of returning her body to India.“It is with deep sadness that we share the heartbreaking loss of Komalpreet Kaur, a beautiful 19-year-old who tragically died in a car accident in Perth, Australia,” organizer Harbinder Singh Kaler wrote on the fundraising page.“Komalpreet was full of life, kindness and dreams for the future. Her sudden passing has left her family and friends devastated and struggling to cope with this unimaginable tragedy,” the appeal read.“We are raising funds to support Komalpreet’s family during this extremely difficult time. Donations will help cover funeral expenses, memorial arrangements, and the significant costs associated with returning her body to India so she can be buried in her home country, surrounded by her loved ones. This is an enormous burden on the family, both emotionally and financially. Any contribution, no matter how small, will provide much-needed support and help return Komalpreet to her family.
“Kaur’s father, Amrik Singh, is a retired subedar from the Indian Army.
