A man from Metro Vancouver has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, minus six years for time already served, following a 2020 stabbing that left his sister-in-law dead and injured two others, including a young child. Harpreet Singh, 39, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault after the incident at a Surrey townhouse, where tensions within the family culminated in violence. The attack occurred after a heated family argument, with Singh fatally stabbing his sister-in-law, Baljit Kaur, while she held a toddler in her arms.
Kaur, in her late 20s, suffered multiple fatal stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The child in her care sustained injuries to her lower body, and Singh’s father, Jagjit Singh, was also injured while trying to intervene.
In the sentencing decision, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Martha Devlin acknowledged Singh’s long-standing battle with anger management, calling the attack “the tragic culmination” of these struggles. Singh will be deported to either India or Australia after completing his prison sentence, as he holds dual citizenship in both countries.
The incident was classified early on by Surrey RCMP as an act of “family violence.” Investigations revealed that the conflict had been simmering throughout the day, beginning with a minor dispute between Singh’s parents. Singh’s violent outburst occurred when his sister-in-law returned from shopping, sparking the tragic events that unfolded in the family home.
Singh, who had no prior criminal record, has been in police custody since the attack. A psychiatric evaluation presented in court revealed that he had been battling severe anger issues following a traumatic incident in Australia, where he was violently assaulted in 2008. Despite this, his family had hoped his emotional struggles would not lead to such an extreme tragedy.
In addition to his prison sentence, Singh has been banned from owning firearms for 10 years.
Source: Swifteradio.com
