Highlights:
- Prashant Sreekumar died after waiting over eight hours for care at a Canadian hospital.
- A US influencer mocked the death using racist and anti-immigrant language online.
- The post triggered backlash across social media platforms.
- The influencer has a documented history of anti-India and anti-immigrant statements.
- The incident renewed scrutiny of hospital negligence and online hate speech.
The death of Prashant Sreekumar, a 44-year-old Indian-origin man in Canada, has sparked international outrage after a US-based influencer mocked the tragedy on social media. Sreekumar died of a suspected cardiac arrest after allegedly waiting more than eight hours for medical attention at Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton, despite complaining of severe chest pain.
The controversy intensified when Andrew Branca, a US influencer known for his hardline political commentary, posted a message on X referring to Sreekumar in derogatory terms and framing his death through an anti-immigration lens. Branca suggested that the man and his wife could have avoided Canada’s healthcare system altogether by staying in India, accompanying his post with a graph showing Canada’s immigration trends over several decades. The comments were widely criticized as racist, insensitive, and dehumanizing.
Social media users reacted strongly, condemning Branca for mocking a death rather than showing empathy. Many accused him of exploiting a personal tragedy to promote hatred and misinformation. Several comments described his post as cruel and morally indefensible, with users pointing out that a man’s death should never be used to score political points. Others highlighted the timing of the remarks, noting that they were made during the holiday season, which further amplified public anger.
Branca’s critics also drew attention to his online history. His social media activity includes repeated attacks on Indians and immigrants, often using offensive stereotypes and inflammatory language. In previous posts, he has accused Indian immigrants of stealing jobs and undermining Western societies, claims that experts and civil rights groups widely regard as baseless and harmful. These past statements resurfaced as the backlash grew, reinforcing concerns about the normalization of hate speech on digital platforms.
At the center of the controversy remains the death of Prashant Sreekumar. According to his family, he repeatedly informed hospital staff about intense chest pain and dangerously rising blood pressure while waiting for care. They allege that he received minimal medical attention during the long wait. When he was eventually called into the treatment area, he reportedly collapsed within seconds and could not be revived. His death has fueled public anger over alleged hospital negligence and long emergency room wait times in Canada.
Advocates and community leaders have stressed that accountability for healthcare failures should not be overshadowed by racist commentary. Many have called for a thorough investigation into the hospital’s handling of Sreekumar’s case, while also urging social media platforms to take stronger action against hate speech that targets vulnerable communities.
