Ontario (Rajeev Sharma): A 25-year-old man originally from Punjab has been arrested in Canada after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Burlington, Ontario. The accused, identified as Mandeep Singh, was reportedly working as an Uber rideshare driver at the time of the alleged incident.
According to the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), the incident occurred on June 16 at around 5:15 p.m. in the parking area of the Burlington GO Station on Fairview Street. Investigators allege that Singh approached the woman and engaged her in conversation before allegedly sexually assaulting her.
Police said the woman left the location immediately after the encounter, but the accused allegedly followed her to a nearby commercial establishment, where a second sexual assault is alleged to have taken place.
Authorities confirmed that the woman did not sustain any physical injuries. She later reported the matter to the police, following which the Child Abuse and Sexual Assault (CASA) Unit launched an investigation.
Based on the investigation, police identified Singh, a resident of Etobicoke, and arrested him on July 26. He has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton.
Investigators have expressed concern that there could be additional victims, as the accused was employed as an Uber driver when the alleged offences took place. Police have released his photograph and appealed to anyone with relevant information or similar experiences to come forward and assist the investigation.
In its statement, HRPS noted that sexual assault includes any form of sexual contact without consent, ranging from unwanted touching to more serious offences. Police also reminded the public that there is no time limit for reporting sexual assault, encouraging survivors to approach law enforcement regardless of when an incident may have occurred.
