Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old Indian truck driver, has drawn massive online support after being arrested in the US over a deadly crash. Singh, who entered the country illegally in 2018, has been charged with vehicular homicide. Police say he took a wrong turn on a Florida highway that caused an accident, killing three people.

The accident happened on August 12. At that time, Singh was in California, from where he was later moved to Florida. His commercial driver’s license had also been issued in California. The case has sparked fresh debate about the dangers linked to undocumented migrants driving trucks in the US.

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Since his arrest, a petition asking for Singh’s release has gone viral, crossing 1.6 million signatures. The petition calls the incident “a tragic accident – not a deliberate act,” and adds, “While accountability matters, the severity of the charges against him does not align with the circumstances of the incident.”

Backlash and and social media reactions 

The support for Singh has also triggered strong criticism. Conservative platforms such as Breitbart News have highlighted the case. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Breitbart wrote, “More than 1,600,000 people have signed an online petition attributed to ‘Punjabi youth’ urging the federal government to free Harjinder Singh.”

Some social media users have lashed out at the campaign. One wrote, “This dude cannot read or speak English and entered my country illegally. Now after obtaining a CDL illegally, he’s murdered 3 people all the while showing no remorse or shame ! Go to hell.”

Another said, “I bet a huge number of people signing this are from India. The story has gotten a lot of attention over there, so this is very likely an example of an ethnic group looking out for one of its own, without a principled regard for justice.”

One user even questioned the petition numbers, writing, “Don’t believe that. 1.65 mil signatures this fast. No way.”

Lebanese-Australian businessman Mario Nawfal also shared the news on his X account, which got reactions such as “Deport them all.”

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Counter-petition started

In reply to the growing support for Singh, a counter-petition has also been started, demanding deportation of those backing him. It says, “These signatories not only undermine the legal system but also pose a potential threat to public safety by advocating leniency for someone whose actions led to irreversible consequences. It’s crucial that our country sends a clear message: we will not tolerate such recklessness, nor will we shelter those who support it.”

After the fatal crash, the US government also announced a pause on giving work visas for commercial truck drivers.