Canadian authorities have denied allegations contained in a report that officers arrived late at the scene of the Khalistani figure’s death. The murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and a turf war caused a new delay in the start of the investigation. Washington Post, in a report on the murder, claimed on Monday that at least six men, including those who appeared to be Sikhs, and two vehicles, were involved in the June 18 murder of Nijjar. He also noted that witnesses said it took between 12 and 20 minutes after the shots were fired for police to arrive. He cited a witness who said an “hour-long fight” between Surrey police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP, over the direction of the investigation caused a further delay.
In a statement Tuesday, the Surrey RCMP detachment refuted those claims, saying the first report of the incident came in at 8:27 p.m. and that the first responding officers arrived at the scene in less than four minutes and were They joined forces shortly after.
“It was suggested that there was a conflict over which police agency would ‘lead the investigation’; However, as the police jurisdiction, Surrey RCMP is responsible for all police investigations in Surrey. “There is nothing to indicate that this investigation was delayed in any way, neither in the initial response nor in the subsequent investigative steps,” the statement added.
As is typical in murder cases, the case was turned over to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team or IHIT, with support from the Surrey RCMP. “We are confident that all necessary investigative measures are being taken to hold those responsible for the homicide accountable,” the statement added.
He also said that this “public act of violence” has caused “members of our community to feel unsafe” and, in response, he has increased patrols around gurdwaras and temples. “The Surrey RCMP Diversity Unit has met with the Sikh and Hindu communities in Surrey and the unit continues to work closely with them to foster communication and engagement,” he said.
The statement said IHIT “cannot provide further details on any aspect of the ongoing investigation and will not be commenting further at this time.”
He said the Post sent them a list of questions, due the next day, adding: “This did not provide an adequate opportunity to respond. An article was subsequently published that contained inaccurate information about the police response to this homicide.”
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