Australia13 September, 20262 min read
Harsh Sharma Killed After Semi-Trailer Strikes Him on Federal Highway Near Canberra
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30-year-old Harsh Sharma died after being struck by a semi-trailer near Bywong, Canberra. The incident occurred on the Federal Highway at Bungendore Road, about 25 km northeast of Canberra.
Crash near Canberra
Harsh Sharma, a 30-year-old Indian-origin man, died after being struck by a semi-trailer on the Federal Highway near Canberra, Australia, just three weeks after the birth of his younger daughter. The crash happened near Bungendore Road at Bywong, about 25 kilometres northeast of Canberra, at around 9.40pm on September 3, and emergency services attended the scene but Sharma died there.
Police established a crime scene and began investigating the crash with assistance from the Crash Investigation Unit, while the truck driver, also in his 30s, was taken to Canberra Hospital for mandatory testing. Sharma lived in Canberra with his wife and two young daughters and worked in healthcare, and his youngest child was only three weeks old when he died.
Fundraiser and repatriation
After the death, a GoFundMe campaign was launched by Sharma's childhood friend Harkirat Singh, along with Tanjot and Shabir, to help meet immediate expenses and support his wife and daughters. The fundraiser says the money will initially be received by Singh in Australia before being divided equally between Sharma's wife and his parents in India, and Singh said the arrangement was made with the knowledge and permission of Sharma's wife and parents.
As of September 13, the campaign had collected almost $70,000 towards its $100,000 target from about 990 donations, while another report said it had raised more than 91,000 Australian dollars towards its 120,000 Australian dollar target with about 1500 people making donations. Friends also said arrangements were being made to repatriate Sharma's remains to Punjab, and police inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash were continuing.
Police response and community
A NSW Police spokesperson said officers attended and found a pedestrian had been struck by a semi-trailer truck and that the pedestrian, a man believed to be aged in his 30s, died at the scene. The Times of India reported that NSW Police later confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Sharma's death and that no charges had been laid, while investigators from the Crash Investigation Unit examined the circumstances.
In the fundraiser text, Singh described the loss in direct terms, saying, "Harsh passed away suddenly and tragically at just 30 years old, leaving behind his loving wife and two beautiful little daughters," and the campaign added, "What should have been one of the happiest chapters of their lives has suddenly become a period of unimaginable grief." The appeal urged people to support Sharma's wife, their two young daughters, and his parents in India, and it directed anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.