Sikh real-estate developer shot dead in Canada

Toronto, June 9

A 56-year-old Sikh real-estate developer was shot dead in broad daylight in Canada’s Richmond city last week in what the authorities described as a ‘brazen’ target killing.

Amarjit Singh Sandhu was shot in the parking lot of a shopping centre in Richmond, British Columbia, as shoppers and restaurant diners witnessed the shooting.

Sandhu died in hospital after Saturday’s attack that left his pickup truck riddled with bullets.

Personnel of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reached the spot. “This act of homicide is selfish and cold,” Staff Sergeant Jennifer Pound of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team was quoted as saying by CBC News. The police released a vague description of a man wanted in connection with Sandhu’s murder. The suspect is described as a non-white male in his 20s.

Sandhu was listed as the president of Sandhill Developments Ltd. He and the company are named in more than 80 civil lawsuits dating back to the 1990s in British Columbia. In a recent case, Sandhu took the Khalsa Diwan Society to court. His actions led to an election being called for leaders at the Ross Street gurdwara in Vancouver, scheduled for September. An official with the party opposed to the changes Sandhu was seeking at the gurdwara believes the shooting was unrelated.

“To my knowledge, just for the sake of an election, nobody would take such a big risk,” Ranjit Hayer of the Khalsa Diwan Society was quoted as saying.

People at the gurdwara registering to vote in the election said Sandhu was at the place of worship before he went to Richmond.

A witness was quoted by Richmond News as saying that Sandhu was killed while standing next to his truck. The suspect pulled out a gun with a silencer and shot Sandhu. — PTI