An international student who drowned after allegedly being pushed off Hobart’s Princes Wharf overnight has been remembered as a ‘great friend’.
Deepinderjeet Singh, 27, died in the River Derwent around 10pm on Monday night after he and a woman in her 20s were “pushed into the water from behind by a person unknown to them in an attempt to steal the woman’s handbag”.
Tasmania Police detective inspector David Gill said the woman was able to swim to safety, but Singh was unable to be saved.
“This is a disgraceful, cowardly act which has resulted in a terrible tragedy, a tragedy that will haunt the young female for the rest of her life along with the family and friends of the deceased male,” Gill said.
Singh’s friends travelled to Hobart from the mainland on Tuesday morning after learning of the tragedy, but say his family remain in India.
Police are continuing to search for the alleged ‘handbag thief’, but believe there may have been “more than one person involved”.
“We’re following a very specific line of inquiry to identify those persons involved,” Gill said.
“We are treating this as a very serious criminal investigation. The persons involved know damn well what occurred last night and I implore them to come forward before we actually come forward and find them.”
Police took four people, including three teenagers, into custody over the incident on Tuesday evening.
