On Sunday, June 2, 2024 expat Dion Yhip’s overseas family and friends were notified that he had been found dead in his flat in Goa. Dion had been residing in India for 15 years and was well versed and well accepted in his adopted home. For the last year or so Dion had found peace and joy living a relaxed life in Goa, a beach side community known as a tourist destination.

As shock and disbelief spread amongst family and friends, from some of the most prominent families in Delhi and Goa to as far away as Toronto and New York, it started to become clear that there were important details surrounding Dion’s death which seemed to suggest that it may not have been due to natural causes.

“There is a WhatsApp message suggesting Mr. Yhip had passed away in the company of friends at a completely different location, and a police report indicates he was found seated on a chair at his home”, said a friend on condition of anonymity. A few of the friends have now written to Goa police highlighting the discrepancies in the investigation. The people who found his dead body suggested that he had a bruised nose and there were other signs of violence on the deceased.

Rohit Gandhi who is a journalist and knew Dion from many years was investigating the death after Dion's friends contacted him said, “There are many facts that aren’t corroborating and there are too many individuals who seem to be ducking the investigations. It’s an investigation that only a very solid police team will be able to handle”.

Further remarks have been omitted due to safety concerns. Many close friends of Dion’s have raised concerns about the condition that his body was found in and suspect foul play. Dion’s brother Mark Yhip is calling upon the authorities in India to fully investigate the death of his brother with complete transparency and is calling upon the Canadian High Commission in India to help look at the facts on the ground.

Shabri Prasad has written a detailed email about the concerns of her and her friends to Goa Police about the observations and discrepancies surrounding Dion’s death. She said that “we have requested Goa Police to thoroughly investigate and do justice”.

Once Mark Yhip contacted the Canadian Consulate, an official declaration of death by natural causes was made based on a preliminary autopsy report. The final forensic analysis is still being awaited by the Goa police.

“There have been close to 300 deaths of foreign nationals in India the last few years that were not properly followed up on. We just want to know the truth about what happened to our beloved brother, uncle, and friend”, he says from Toronto.

It is unclear if CCTV footage, and other crime scene evidence had been examined at the time of this writing.