US influencer Andrew Branca faces outrage for racist posts mocking the death of Prashant Sreekumar, an Indian-origin man who died after waiting hours for care in a Canadian hospital. Branca called the deceased an 'Indian invader' on social media.
Racist and derogatory social media posts by American influencer Andrew Branca have triggered widespread outrage following the death of an Indian-origin accountant, Prashant Sreekumar, in Canada after allegedly waiting more than eight hours for medical care at an Edmonton hospital.
Reacting to reports on the death of Prashant Sreekumar, Andrew Branca took to X to mock the incident, referring to the deceased as "another Indian invader of Canada." In the same post, he claimed, "I note that she and her husband could have easily avoided the shitty Canadian healthcare by staying in Mumbai and enjoying the shitty Indian healthcare," while also sharing an unsourced graph showing net immigration to Canada from 1952 to 2025. Another Indian invader of Canada. I note that she and her husband could have easily avoided the shitty Canadian healthcare by staying in Mumbai and enjoying the shitty Indian healthcare. https://t.co/9pmMPoCbky pic.twitter.com/mzEFt5ksiD — Andrew Branca Show (@TheBrancaShow) December 26, 2025
Branca's History of Racist Remarks
Branca's X bio states that he is an attorney offering "pro-America, pro-Constitution, pro-Western civilisation political and legal analysis." However, a review of his past posts shows repeated use of abusive language against India and Indians.
He has previously referred to Indians as "retards" and "third-world," labelled Indian food as "disgusting," and stated that "America is for Americans."
In a separate post aimed at Indian migrants, Branca wrote, "You, an Indian national, fled the shit hole of third-world India to live in first-world Canada. I'm thinking that any culture that drives tens of millions of its nationals from its third-world borders to go live in first-world nations has little to brag about." In another post, he further claimed, "Indian migration is a societal herpes of filth and trash and human faeces they wish to bring to America."
Canadian Authorities Launch Investigation
These remarks emerged as Canadian authorities launched a formal review into the circumstances surrounding Sreekumar's death. The Alberta government ordered the review after the 44-year-old died while waiting for treatment at the emergency department of Grey Nuns Community Hospital, CBC News reported.
According to CBC News, Alberta's Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Matt Jones, said via social media that he had instructed Acute Care Alberta and Covenant Health to jointly review the events and factors that led to Sreekumar's death last Monday.
Acute Care Alberta said it would be part of the review and act on any recommendations that follow. It also confirmed that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has started an independent investigation.
CBC News noted that there was no information available on how busy the emergency department was on the day of the incident. Covenant Health said it could not comment on specific aspects of patient care due to privacy constraints.
'Completely Avoidable': A Family's Ordeal
Sreekumar, an accountant, was at work when he began experiencing chest pain. A client took him to the hospital, and his wife, Niharika Sreekumar, later joined him there, she told CBC News.
The couple reportedly spent most of the time in the waiting area while he continued to complain of chest pain, allegedly waiting close to eight hours before seeing a doctor.
"The one time in his entire lifetime in Canada he needed that system, that treatment, that medical care, he was denied," Niharika said. She added that his condition worsened during the wait and said she believes his death could have been prevented, alleging improper triage. "I want justice for Prashanth," she said.
Family friend Varindar Bhullar told CBC News that while initial checks did not reveal abnormalities, Sreekumar's blood pressure kept increasing. He said Sreekumar died from an alleged cardiac arrest shortly after triage.
"It was completely avoidable. That's the sad part," Bhullar said, adding, "Sometimes we think it's God's wish, but this time I think humans could have intervened enough to save him." Bhullar remembered Sreekumar as a caring family man who led an active life and regularly played cricket.
'Superhero Father' Leaves Behind Three Children
Meanwhile, a fundraiser has been set up by a family friend to support Sreekumar's wife and their three children, aged three, 10 and 14.
Sreekumar was the sole earning member of the family, as his wife stayed home to care for one child with special needs. Niharika Sreekumar described her husband as a "superhero father" to their children. "They're missing him," she said. "He provided for them, everything they wanted. He had great plans." (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)