Two Young Indo-Canadian Men Accused In Gruesome Sword Attack Found Guilty

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Amritpal Dhillon And Amritpaul Rakhra Found Guilty Of Manslaughter In Near Decapitation-Murder Of Manraj Akalirai!

Witness X told the jury that Amritpaul Rakhra struck his friend first with the golf club, knocking him to the ground. He said Amritpal Dhillon, who had picked up the sword, followed up with a swing of the weapon that took off most of the top of Manraj Akalirai’s head. Court will resume the case on Wednesday, Dec. 9 to set a date for the sentencing hearing.

SOUTH VANCOUVER – The ethnically diverse area of South Vancouver called South Slope has seen it’s share of brutal crime in the form of Indo-Canadian gang shootings and murder but the killing of 19-year-old Manraj Akalirai was a brutal and gruesome act where a sword was used to nearly decapitate the victim.

Two young Indo-Canadian men accused of using a samurai sword to nearly decapitate Akalirai have been found guilty of manslaughter.

The jury deliberated for five days and eventually found Amritpal Dhillon, who pleaded not guilty to the January 2013 slaying of Akalirai guilty of manslaughter. Dhillon’s co-accused Amritpaul Rakhra was also found guilty of manslaughter in the gruesome death.

Rakhra was alleged to have used a golf club to beat up Akalirai following a confrontation between two groups of young men in a residential neighbourhood in East Vancouver.

According to one witness, the fight was sparked by a “hood beef” — a neighbourhood dispute between the two groups, reported Province newspaper.

A man who can only be identified as Witness X claimed that there was a “back and forth” dispute involving the breaking of car windows and slashing of vehicle tires.

Witness X, the Crown’s key witness, testified that on the night of the slaying, he and Akalirai had been preparing to go out to eat.

When Akalirai reported that someone was circling the neighbourhood, Witness X decided to arm himself with the samurai sword and a machete, reported the Province.

As the two men were pulling out to go get something to eat, two vehicles suddenly blocked their path, he testified.

Witness X got out of their vehicle with the sword and confronted a man wielding a golf club.

During the ensuing battle, Witness X used the sword to cut off the thumb of the other man.

When the golf club clashed with the sword, Witness X said he dropped the sword and ran.

Akalirai followed him to a nearby front yard on Elgin Street, with the two accused chasing them.

Witness X told the jury that Rakhra struck his friend first with the golf club, knocking him to the ground. He said Dhillon, who had picked up the sword, followed up with a swing of the weapon that took off most of the top of Akalirai’s head, reported the Province.

However, Dhillon told the court of a very different version of events. He said that following the confrontation, he had picked up a sheath from the sword that had been discarded by Witness X.

He said Witness X, still armed with the samurai sword, followed him into a nearby yard and swung the sword at his neck. He said he was able to deflect the blow with the sheath, the blow knocking the sword from Witness X’s hands.

Shortly thereafter, Dhillon said he picked up the sword and was confronted by Akalirai in the front yard.

When Akalirai lunged at him, Dhillon said he swung the sword once, fearing for his life.

In his closing submissions, Crown counsel Brendan McCabe argued that the single blow that nearly cut off Akalirai’s head was evidence of the intention of the accused to commit murder.

The trial, heard in one of B.C.’s biggest courtrooms, most days was packed with family and friends of the victim and the accused, reported the Province.

Court will resume the case on Wednesday, Dec. 9 to set a date for the sentencing hearing.