SURREY – Last week, the LINK reported that inquests had been announced into the deaths of Indo-Canadians who died in police custody
While Victor Bikermanjit Singh Kooner’s inquest is scheduled for Feb. 20-24, 2012, this week the Vancouver Police Department officials announced that Surrey RCMP are not responsible for an in-custody death of Kooner, who died more than a year ago.
Vancouver police concluded their year-long investigation into the death of Kooner, who died after being taken into custody by the RCMP on June 22, 2010.
On that night, Police were called to an area near 88 Avenue and 160 Street after reports of a man running in and out of traffic. Officers found Kooner behaving erratically and apprehended him.
“An ambulance was called but Mr. Kooner went into medical distress before the ambulance arrived,” the VPD wrote in a release. “He died despite the efforts of officers and paramedics.”
“After a thorough and lengthy investigation, Vancouver Police Major Crime detectives concluded that there were no reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence was committed by any member of the RCMP in relation to this incident and the file was not forwarded to Crown Counsel,” the VPD said. “The final report has been submitted to the B.C. Coroners Service and the RCMP.”
The B.C. Coroners Service will hold a public inquest into the death of another Indo-Canadian man who also in RCMP custody last year. died three days after being arrested by Surrey RCMP last year.
Ropinder Gill died at Royal Columbian Hospital on May 19, 2010, three days after being arrested by the Surrey RCMP. Gill’s inquest is scheduled for Oct. 11-14.
