Riders will honour crash victim Bhishma Rajyaguru

REGINA – The Saskatchewan Roughriders will honour crash victim Bhishma Rajyaguru before their game Thursday night against the Edmonton Elks.

Rajyaguru, 22, was killed Saturday night when the car he was driving collided with a vehicle driven by Roughriders linebacker-team captain Jayden Dalke on Highway 11 near Lumsden, northwest of Regina.

“We are profoundly saddened by the loss of 22-year-old Regina resident Bhishma Rajyaguru on Saturday,” the Riders said in a statement Tuesday night. “We will honour Bhishma as part of our pre-game ceremony on Thursday evening and are working with his family on the best way we can support them.

“We will share more information when it is available.”

The RCMP said Monday that Dalke, 30, of Leduc, Alta., was driving on the wrong side of a highway, with alcohol and cannabis in his SUV when his vehicle crashed into another, killing himself and Rajyaguru. There were no passengers in the vehicles.

The RCMP also said autopsies and toxicology tests would be done in the investigation. They added that before the crash, Dalke’s SUV left a gas station with unpaid fuel.

“In speaking with one of Bhishma’s loved ones, he shared with us that he was a caring friend, a devoted son, a supportive brother, and someone who was always there for the people in his life,” the CFL club said. “A gifted percussionist with a deep love of music, Bhishma’s passion and presence left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story.

“Our hearts are with his family, friends, and all those mourning his loss. We also hold in our thoughts everyone who is supporting those affected during this incredibly difficult time.”

Riders general manager Jeremy O’Day has already said the team plans on holding a tribute for Dalke before Thursday’s game.

Dalke helped the Riders win the 2025 Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes in November.

Players are to wear Dalke’s initials on their helmets on Thursday, O’Day said.

An online fundraiser for Rajyaguru has collected about $80,000.

Tonish Patel said funds raised through GoFundMe for his friend are more than enough to cover the cost of repatriating the body to India.

Patel said the money will also help Rajyaguru’s parents in India as they navigate the loss of their son. Rajyaguru came to Canada from the Indian state of Gujarat as an international student in 2022 and had been living in Regina.

Patel said he remembers his friend as a talented musician and a polite, hard-working man who enjoyed watching cricket.

He added that Rajyaguru’s body can’t be transported to India until the autopsies and tests are complete, and he didn’t know when that might be.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a social media post Tuesday his heart remains heavy.

”We mourn the loss of 22-year-old Bhishma Rajyaguru, whose life was taken far too soon,” Moe said. “We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones as they navigate their grief.”

Saskatchewan selected Dalke in the sixth round of the 2022 CFL draft out of the University of Alberta. The six-foot, 200-pound Dalke appeared in 68 career regular-season games, registering 69 tackles, 31 special-teams tackles, three forced fumbles, an interception and a sack.

Dalke appeared in all 18 regular-season games for Saskatchewan in 2025 as well as the West final and the club’s 25-17 Grey Cup win over the Alouettes.

The Roughriders were on a bye week at the time of the accident.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2026.