#1. SURREY RCMP CONFIDENT THEY WILL NAIL KILLER DRIVER
Surrey RCMP Sgt. Roger Morrow told The VOICE on Thursday (July 24): “I am absolutely confident that our investigators are going to find the driver and that this person is going to end up before the court.”
I think the Surrey RCMP have been doing a highly commendable job in trying to track down the killer driver in the speeding 2006 white Acura TL who rear-ended the BMW in which four members of the Badh family were travelling in the early hours of July 12 in the 8500-block of 128th Street of Surrey, killing Dilbag Badh, 61, and his wife, Bakshish, 60, who were seated in the back.
The couple were returning home from the engagement party of their youngest daughter, Rupi, who was in the front seat of the vehicle and suffered a concussion and bruises. Their older daughter, Varinder, who was also in the front seat, sustained a broken jaw and pelvis, besides suffering internal injuries.
Morrow told me this week: “We had put out a public appeal for witnesses to come forward and in particular someone that was mentioned to us as Fijian and he spotted the coverage and he was gracious enough to come forward … the next day and we’ve spoken with him.
“We have also been able now to interact with the owner of the vehicle and he met with our investigators along with his legal counsel.”
Morrow pointed out: “The vehicle was never reported to us as having been stolen.”
But police are not willing to release the name of the owner or that of his lawyer.
The driver of a third car, a black Chevy Camaro, that was also involved in some way in the incident, stopped after the accident and has been fully cooperating with police.
On the other hand, two young South Asian male occupants of the Acura, just fled from the scene. Police immediately found out who the car’s owner was. But he only came to police this week.
Varinder, who had been recovering in Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminister and who was told of her parents’ death only three days later, was back home on Thursday (July 24), her brother Raminder told The VOICE.
Both Raminder and Shin Bir, husband of Rupi’s eldest sister, Jatinder, told me they were happy with the RCMP investigation. The Major Crimes Unit is handling the case.
The Badh’s parents’ funeral takes place today (Saturday, July 26) at 9:30 a.m. at Riverside Funeral Home and Crematorium, 7410 Hopcott Road, Delta.
If you witnessed the accident or have information, please call the Surrey RCMP Major Crimes Unit at 604-599-0502.
On Friday (July 25), Surrey RCMP announced they would be conducting a road block in the early hours of Saturday (July 26) where the fatal collision took place two weeks ago in the hope of finding additional witnesses.
Morrow said: “Police will be speaking with motorists from 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. As history has shown, many of us are creatures of habit using the same routes to and from work as well as other venues. As such, investigators are hoping to canvass motorists that have to date for whatever the reason, not contacted the authorities and may have information that could be of assistance.
“Major Crimes members have canvassed area businesses and obtained hundreds of hours of video footage. Part of the process in speaking with the motoring public during this time period will also be to canvass them as to whether or not they may have any images available to the police of the scene.”
He said a number of good Samaritans assisted at the time of the collision and that a number of witnesses had come forward, but this additional step could help police to bring “a successful resolution to this matter.”
#2. THE RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF FROM VICIOUS DOGS
A pit bull is no ordinary dog – although its owners may think the world of it. It’s a dangerous breed that should be banned, in my opinion.
Remember how two vicious pit bulls ferociously attacked 11-year-old Sean Bajwa in a Surrey school ground on May 4?
So it was hard for me not to sympathize with the Surrey RCMP officers who believed they were under threat from a breed know to be terribly hostile and whipped out a gun and killed the animal last Sunday.
However, I can understand the grief of the Basra family who had had the pet for more than two years and regarded him as a member of their family, because every time my family lost a pet dog (we usually kept Labradors), we used to be heartbroken.
The officers were attending a 911 call from a tenant in the Basra house in the 8000-block of 132A Street when the incident occurred. The Basras have come up with all kinds of arguments as to why the officers should not have shot the dog – including the claim that he just ran up to them because he was a social dog – but ask the person who has to confront a pit bull how he feels! Just ask poor Sean Bajwa!
All this makes for a good sob story, but the fact is that the cops were doing their job – protecting us – and such things can and do happen in the course of their duty. It is very unfortunate but the cops had every right to protect themselves and carry on with their emergency work.
The Basras’ argument that the female tenant had called police frequently in the past months about her ex-husband and so they should have been familiar with the situation is ridiculous. The same police officers do not end up going to the same place when they rush to attend the 911 incident. And what if the pit bull had delayed the officers and the woman could have possibly been killed by someone? Would we then be blaming the cops for her death?
The Basras also claimed that their dog had never bitten anyone before.
That’s not true, according to Sgt. Roger Morrow, who told me that he had actually spoken to the person who had been bitten by the dog and that that person knew of at least one other person who had also been bitten by the same pit bull.
In any case, there is always a first time.
#3. HOW FAR CAN YOU GO IN DEFENDING YOURSELF OR OTHERS?
Recently, there have been cases involving members of the public trying to defend their property or other people from bad characters and there has been the usual on again, off again debate about our right to defend ourselves and our property.
The key: use your common sense, say police.
The bad news: common sense is not common at all!
Last Saturday, Delta police received a report about two males smashing car windows in the area of 75A Avenue and 115 Street and when the police chopper, Air One, responded, they witnesses an assault in progress. When the officers on the ground arrived at the scene, they arrested the assailant, who turned out to be the owner of one of the cars whose windows had been smashed.
Apparently, in his frustration at the light sentences that such scumbags get – that is, if they get punished at all! – the owner of the car decided to teach one of them a good lesson.
Delta police in their press release on the incident, added this note:
“Victims of crime are allowed by law to use as much force as necessary to apprehend an offender they find committing an offence. However, they are not allowed to mete out punishment, only the courts are allowed to do that. Any excessive force used in apprehension is considered an assault. All force used must be legally justified.”
Remembering that some good people in Vancouver had recently taken a risk in nabbing bad people or saving others from being attacked, I called up Vancouver police Constable Tim Fanning about how far could one go in defending oneself or others.
He recalled the violent situation where a woman was being slashed by her ex-husband with a knife on Granville Island recently and two men intervened to protect her. It could have been fatal or somebody could have been hurt in the process.
Fanning said: “The first thing we want people to do is report it. Call 911 right away. Get us on the way. And then from there it is entirely a judgmental call. People have to realize that they could get hurt, if they stepped in. But if they don’t step in, then somebody else is going to be hurt to the point of grievous injury.”
Police will generally advise you to run away if someone attacks you, rather than fight back. But there may be situations where you have no choice but to protect yourself or your loved ones or even some total stranger.
Remember, it is your call and try and use your common sense as to how far you can go in defending yourself, your property or some other person.
It is always best to call the police and let them deal with the situation – or you might become a victim twice over!
#4. JAZZY B: WASSUP, DUDE?
In response to my write-up on what I and some others think are unacceptable lyrics and images used by the highly popular entertainer Jazzy B (in last week’s Rattan’s Rumble), Hardeep K. Jheeta of Surrey sent me the following email:
“I was not a Jazzy B fan, however, on Friday my family and I were having such a fun time at the festival we stayed for his act. The artist immediately thanked his fans, acknowledged all his crew, encouraged all to remember their roots, the importance of learning ones mother tongue, respecting all young / old, expressed genuine concern for the comfort of the thousands of fans that had now gathered for the concert then this boy sang - one artist that sounded better live! A great performer kept me dancing till the end. His music is a fusion of hip hop, rap and bhangra. Both rap and hip hop refer to the gangsta lifestyle but do not necessarily support / promote it. Jazzy B’s songs did not do either. As for his fashion style, my eight year old son was wearing an “Ed Hardy” t-shirt because it is fashionable and current pop culture. Neither he nor I have any interest in gangster lifestyle. I do understand gangsters are wearing certain designer wear, does that mean the rest of us cannot share the DESIGNER not the gang members taste! As far as Jazzy B - a minority who is now a world renowned success - not such a bad role model!”
But then again, not everybody shares the same sentiments, eh!
#5. ASTROLOGY IN INDIAN POLITICS AND LIFE
Astrology plays a huge part in many (or most) people’s lives in India. It affects especially Hindus who make up more than 80 per cent of the country’s population. (And, incidentally, there are more Christians, around 3 per cent of the total population, than Sikhs in India!) Birth charts are consulted for weddings and other important occasions, various types of rings and necklaces are worn based on the advice of astrologers and so on.
And, of course, it plays a huge part in Indian politics with politicians consulting astrologers about what date and time to file nomination papers or to take the oath of office and a plethora of other matters.
So I found it terribly hilarious when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a big dig at the Hindu nationalist leader L.K. (Lal Krishna) Advani of the Bharatiya Janata Party after the latter failed in his bid to bring down the Congress-led minority government this week on the issue of a nuclear agreement with the United States.
Change your astrologers!
That’s the advice he offered to a frustrated Advani, who dreams of being the prime minister himself.
Manmohan Singh told him sarcastically that his astrologers had misled him before also as he had made “at least three attempts” to topple his government.
He said: “At his ripe old age, I do not expect (Mr.) Advani to change his thinking. But for his sake and India’s sake, I urge him at least to change his astrologers so that he gets more accurate predictions of things to come.”
#6. “NEO-NAZIS REDUCED TO BRIBERY”
That was the excellent heading that Vancouver newspaper “24 Hours” gave to the news item on how desperate white racist groups have become in Canada to win over members.
The Aryan Guard, supposed to number a mere 25, has offered to pay the damage deposit on rent for anyone who wants to go to Calgary to join scumbag racists.
How cheap!
Why can’t these idiots pay at least one year’s rent – and ensure that they have the extra members for at least that long?
Hey, guys, those of you who want to go to Calgary anyway, take the offer – and use the money to help you settle down there – and then tell these boneheads to get lost!
How I feel for all these white racists – many of whom spew out their venom in the letters’ section of the Vancouver Sun and the Province and other mainstream media! I also pity all those white rightwing journalists who still dream of a lily-white Canada.
Hey you guys, listen up: You know you could always go back to Europe – although I don’t think those decent Europeans would want you there.
However, I request you to please stay in our beautiful, multicultural Canada and wake up and smell the curry. Indo-Canadians are very hospitable people – we will gladly share our curry with you.
Rattan Mall
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