“I lost my job back in 2023,” Mandeep Singh said.
Sukhdeep Singh, 33, died alongside his wife Sukhvir Kaur, 29, and their brother-in-law Gurpreet Singh, 38, when their vehicle crashed into a BurgerFuel restaurant in Takanini on Sunday night, RNZ reported.
The vehicle is believed to have been travelling at more than 150 km/h after losing control at a roundabout on Great South Road, according to RNZ.
Mandeep Singh said Sukhdeep Singh had lived in New Zealand for seven years and operated an NZ Post courier business, while Kaur had arrived just six months earlier.
Gurpreet Singh had lived in New Zealand for three years and worked as an NZ Post courier driver, while his wife and young son remained in India, according to the Supreme Sikh Society.
Mandeep Singh said that he had known Sukhdeep Singh since 2015 and described him as “not too extroverted, but always helpful”.
“He asked me, ‘If you want to come with me, we can deliver parcels together. I’ll help you'”, Mandeep Singh told RNZ.
Sukhdeep Singh had married in February, and the two friends had travelled to India on the same flight.
Mandeep Singh recalled the newlyweds visiting his home to watch movies and enjoy each other’s company, describing Kaur as “lovely and nice”.
When Mandeep Singh saw news of the crash on Sunday night, he initially thought the car involved looked familiar because the two men had bought the vehicle together.
He later confirmed with a local temple that Sukhdeep and his family had attended Diwali celebrations on Sunday night before learning his friend was among the dead.
“I was terrified because my hands were shaking,” Mandeep Singh told RNZ.
He urged the public not to speculate on whether his friend was speeding or responsible for the crash while the investigation continues.
“He did not use to drink alcohol,” Mandeep Singh said. “Police are doing their best to investigate what happened, and we have to wait until the results comes.”
Emergency services responded to the crash just after 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, pronouncing all three occupants dead at the scene.
No one inside the building sustained injuries.
A Givealittle fundraising page has raised more than $20,000 to cover the cost of repatriating the victims’ bodies and support their families.
