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Sikhs For Justice holds prayer service outside St. Lucie Co. jail to support victims and Harjinder Singh

Singh remains in custody without bail

WPTV

Sikhs For Justice held a prayer service outside the St. Lucie County jail on Aug. 28, 2025.

By: Tyler Hatfield

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ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Dozens of members from the Sikh community gathered Thursday in the parking lot outside the St. Lucie County jail.

The group Sikhs for Justice said they wanted to offer support to the families of the victims of the semi crash on Florida's Turnpike this month and ensure the driver, Harjinder Singh, receives a fair trial.

Sikh community hold prayer service outside St. Lucie Co. jail to support victims, suspect

Investigators say Singh made an illegal U-turn on the Turnpike on Aug. 12, killing three people from South Florida.

Singh, who the group said is a Sikh himself, now faces vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter charges.

Florida officials said Singh, who is originally from India, entered the U.S. illegally after crossing through the Mexico border in 2018 and obtained a commercial driver's license from California.

Gurpatwant Pannun, general counsel to Sikhs for Justice, spoke with Singh in jail and explained why the semi driver said he fled India.

"This is exactly Harjinder's words and Harjinder's statement. 'I fled India out of fear of persecution under (Indian president Narendra) Modi's regime. Modi's government targeted me because of my religion and my political opinion, Khalistan,'" Pannun said.

Organizers said they raised $100,000 for the victims' families.

Pannun said they have reached out to the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis to get in touch with the victims' families, but have not heard back.

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