Nova Scotia,Halifax, Canada: Nearly eighteen months after the tragic incident that shocked an Indian-origin family in Canada, the mother of 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur has spoken publicly, expressing dissatisfaction with the investigation into her daughter’s death.
Gursimran Kaur died after being found inside a bakery oven at a Walmart store in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in October 2024. Authorities initially stated that there was nothing suspicious about the case. Recently, the Nova Scotia Department of Labour also concluded its investigation, reporting that no workplace safety violations were discovered in connection with the incident.
Following the findings, Gursimran’s mother, Mandip Kaur, who also worked at the same Walmart location, shared her painful memories of the night of the tragedy. Speaking to DailyMail, she said the experience remains deeply traumatic.
Mandip recalled that both she and her daughter were working the same shift on the night of October 19, 2024. When she tried contacting Gursimran through phone calls and text messages but received no response, she initially assumed that her daughter was assisting a customer or taking a short break.
However, concern grew when two store managers mentioned they had not seen Gursimran for some time. The search eventually led them to the bakery section of the store.
According to Mandip, one of the managers noticed a dark liquid resembling tar leaking from the back of the bakery oven. The liquid was later found to be coming from Gursimran’s body, which had been inside the oven near the baking racks.
Mandip collapsed at the scene and was taken away as emergency responders arrived.
She said investigators have not provided a clear explanation of how her daughter ended up inside the oven or why she was unable to escape.
Mandip also said she does not know how long Gursimran had been inside the oven or whether her daughter tried to call for help. She insisted that the investigation left many questions unanswered.
According to Mandip, her daughter had no reason to harm herself. She described Gursimran as a cheerful young woman who was planning to pursue medical studies. In fact, a package intended for her arrived just days after her death.
After a memorial service at their local gurdwara in Canada, the family returned to India, where Gursimran’s ashes were scattered.
The Walmart store where the incident occurred remained closed for about four months following the tragedy. During that time, the bakery section was renovated and relocated within the store. The new equipment installed does not include walk-in ovens.
