Circle K customers raise $12k for employee facing 14 years after self-defense in “brutal robbery”

Supporters raised $12k for a Circle K employee in Canada who is facing 14 years for defending himself in a robbery. 

On January 5, Circle K employee Tejeshwar Kalia fell victim to a “brutal robbery” in Peterborough, Canada.

Around 2:30 AM, Jonathon Handel attempted to rob Circle K, where Kalia was working. Carrying a baseball bat, Handel began threatening the clerk for money before pulling it out and striking Kalia several times in the back of the head and spine.

Kalia then wrestled the bat out of Handel’s hands and struck Handel twice in the head before Handel fell to the ground.

Kalia is now facing 14 years in prison, as Handel was induced into a coma and lost both his taste and smell.

However, Circle K customers want justice for Kalia. In support of the store clerk, many people donated to his GoFundMe, resulting in over $12,000 raised.

But, Kalia now has to give the money back to those who donated, as GoFundMe emailed him saying his campaign “violated” their terms of service.

Customers who donated to Kalia, who claimed self-defense in the robbery, have since responded to their refund from GoFundMe with confusion.

“I saw your article on the weekend and made a donation, but today the entire page has been taken down and monies refunded. Any idea what happened?” one supporter wrote to the Toronto Sun.

“We are shocked about what is happening to Tejeshwar. Yesterday, we donated $200 to his GoFundMe. Today, we received our donation back,” said another supporter as they continued to ask where they could send Kalia more money.

Despite efforts to raise money for Kalia, there has been no secondary fundraiser setup, and he is still facing 14 years in prison, while Handel only faces 18 months.