Crash victim being given traditional Sikh farewell

The scene of the fatal collision on Welcome Bay Rd. Photo / Andrew Warner

The Punjabi youth who died in a crash involving Tauranga's mobile library bus will be farewelled while dressed in traditional Sikh clothing today before being sent home to his family in India.

Karanbir Singh, 19, died after the car in which he was a passenger and the bus crashed on Welcome Bay Rd on Wednesday morning.

Tauranga Sikh Society president Kashmir Singh said the group was rallying to help return Karanbir to his family in India. He said Karanbir had many friends in New Zealand and he was a handsome and "very, very friendly guy. He was a good guy."

Karanbir had been living in Tauranga for about four months as a member of the society.

He worked in the local kiwifruit industry but travelled to Auckland twice a week to study business at the Linguis International Institute.

The society would today be donning cultural dress and gathering at their Cheyne Rd temple to pray for Karanbir, who was Punjabi.

Mr Singh said the society had been in touch with Karanbir's family and was dealing with the paperwork required to send his body home. "The family have said just one thing. They want him home."

Karanbir had come from the Hothian village in Khadur-sahib, India.

The 20-year-old driver of the car in the crash suffered minor injuries, while the driver of the bus was uninjured.

Police are still investigating.