Imagine facing the prospect of 45 years in prison for a mistake that was never intended to cause harm. That’s the reality for Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old man of Indian origin, as over 2.2 million people rally behind him in a petition calling for leniency from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

On August 12, Singh was involved in a devastating crash on the Florida Turnpike while driving a tractor-trailer. The incident, which claimed the lives of three people, has led to charges of vehicular homicide against him. If convicted, Singh faces a staggering sentence—15 years for each count of vehicular homicide under Florida law. But was this really a deliberate act, or simply an unfortunate accident?

The petition, which has gained traction on Change.org under the name “Collective Punjabi Youth,” emphasizes that while accountability is essential, the severity of the charges does not reflect the circumstances surrounding the event. “This was a tragic accident— not a deliberate act,” it asserts, shedding light on the complexities surrounding such incidents.

The online response has been a mixed bag, with social media users engaging in heated discussions about the fairness of the potential sentence. Supporters, particularly from the Indian diaspora, argue that Singh was merely trying to support his family when the accident occurred. One commenter named Marvi, hailing from Sydney, expressed, “It was an accident. He made a terrible mistake, not a deliberate choice to harm anyone.”

However, the call for leniency hasn't gone unchallenged. Critics of the petition argue that justice should be uniform, irrespective of a person's immigration status. The debate raises a significant question: should the legal system consider the intent behind an action, especially in cases involving tragic outcomes?

In Singh’s hometown of Punjab, India, family members are appealing for a lighter sentence, fearing the repercussions on their family. “His age is 28 years, and if he gets 45 years of jail, then you can imagine what will be the condition of his family,” lamented his relative, Dilbagh Singh, in an emotional plea to the media.

After the crash, Singh reportedly fled to California but was apprehended by U.S. Marshals and returned to Florida to face trial. His journey to the U.S. in 2018 involved significant sacrifices, including mortgaging family land back home, all in pursuit of a better life. Initially detained at the border, he was released on bond while his immigration status was under review, citing fears of violence if he returned to India. However, following the accident, the Department of Homeland Security denied him bond, labeling him “a significant threat to public safety.”

The case has caught the attention of politicians as well, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio moving to freeze commercial driver visas in response to the crash. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, an MP from Punjab, raised concerns about potential discrimination against Punjabi and Sikh drivers, who constitute 20% of the U.S. trucking industry. “Any mass-level action against them would have a detrimental effect on trucking families and would be discriminatory,” she argued, highlighting the broader implications of this tragic incident.