Canadian law enforcement authorities have denied allegations of a delayed response to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and disputes over the investigation’s jurisdiction. The Washington Post had reported that there was a delay of 12 to 20 minutes before police arrived at the scene of Nijjar’s murder on June 18 and suggested that a turf war between Surrey police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) further hindered the investigation.
In response, the Surrey detachment of the RCMP issued a statement countering these claims. They stated that the first information about the incident came at 8:27 pm, and the first officers arrived on the scene in under four minutes, with additional officers arriving shortly afterward. The statement emphasized that, as the police of jurisdiction, Surrey RCMP is responsible for all police investigations in Surrey and that there was no indication of a delay in the investigation.
The case was subsequently handed over to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), with support from Surrey RCMP. IHIT is confident that all necessary investigational steps are being taken to hold those responsible for the homicide accountable.
The statement also mentioned increased patrols around gurdwaras and temples in response to the public act of violence and highlighted efforts by Surrey RCMP’s Diversity Unit to engage with the Sikh and Hindu communities in Surrey.
IHIT stated that they cannot provide further details on the ongoing investigation and will not be making further comments at this time. They also criticized the Washington Post for providing them with a list of questions and a tight deadline, resulting in the publication of a story containing inaccurate information regarding the police response to the homicide.
This development comes amid a diplomatic spat between Canada and India, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggesting Indian involvement in Nijjar’s killing, a claim that India has strongly denied.
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