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New Zealand (KP) -- In June 2008, a group of teenagers were arrested for the killing of Navtej Singh, a thirty-year-old father of three. Anitelea Chan Kee, 20, and Tino Faamele Felise, 17, were charged with Navtej Singh's murder. Charges include aggravated robbery and armed robbery. Mefiposeta Chan Kee, 24, was charged after a raid in which officials located the 22 caliber rifle that was used to shoot Navtej Singh.
Shortly after the arrests Detective Inspector Jim Gallagher of the Counties Manukau Police stated, "We are relieved to have been in the position to have brought this sort of result reasonably promptly for the benefit of Mr. Singh's family and his community."
However was such swift action performed on the night when Singh was shot? Despite these criminals beings arrested many claim that the remaining culprits of this crime are still free.
On June 7, 2008, a group of teenagers who planned to get liquor robbed Singh, and then shot him in the chest at point blank. Singh survived the shots. However, he died the next day in Middlemore Hospital. Even though the alleged murderer was at a close proximity when killing Singh, the unrevealed accomplices of Singh's demise were hiding behind bushes.
Family members of Navtej Singh have accused the police of negligence. Singh's Father Nahar Singh stated that he felt the police and emergency officials who neglected to provide care for his son are just as guilty as the bandits who shot his son. Members of the family have stated that Police waited at a remote area from the shooting for nearly 45 minutes.
Nahar Singh said family and witnesses have mentioned that they saw and heard people screaming for help. He stated that witnesses and family members could see the police and the ambulances hiding behind bushes while blood poured out of Singh's body. During this extensive period, Singh lost a vast amount of blood.
The belated response on behalf of New Zealand Police and Emergency officials has provoked Singh's family to file a complaint against officials who failed to provide adequate care for Singh after he survived the gun shots. Allowing a wounded victim to lie bleeding for almost an hour has puzzled Singh's family and the Sikh Population in New Zealand which is approximately 12,000 strong.
The Sikh community who have contributed to the development of New Zealand civilization cannot understand why this uncivil response was performed by professionals who have been trained to help those in need. The Sikh community met with Navtej's family to inquire why since the shooting the police have not contacted and explained to the family why their son was left to die alone. Auckland Sikh Society spokesman Ajit Singh Randhawa said this incident has deeply wounded the Sikh community.
Randhawa stated "It is something that keeps haunting us."
He later went on to mention that the Sikh community have demanded officials to give a clear and coherent response to how such neglect could take place.
Police in St John said they could not promptly respond to the wounded victim because they were following procedure which permitted them to wait and hide at an isolated area until armed backup arrived.
However, this response has not convinced and reassured Singh's family and the Sikh community that officials responded to the emergency competently--since members of the family consistently told a 111 operator that it was safe to enter the shop because the criminals have escaped in a car. This has urged the Sikh Community to further demand that police officials respond to their concerns.
Police spokeswoman Ana-Mari Gates-Bowey said police would not give any comments or answer any questions since the case was now before the courts and under investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
The family have mentioned that if the inquiry fails to discover why the police and emergency respondents neglected their responsibility to provide adequate attention for their dying son they will take legal action against the police.
During Singh's murder, there was also a stabbing of a Sikh dairy owner and an arrest of an Otara liquor store owner for fighting with a group of delinquent youths. The deterrence of police responsibility to provide Sikhs safety from bandits has motivated Sikhs to take a vigilance stance.
South Auckland's Sikh community have come together to provide help for Sikh store owners. Auckland Sikh Society spokesman Ajit Singh Randhawa said the Sikh community will take a pro-active stance on some of these attacks that are happening against store owners.
Store owners will come together and start a fund which will give them the financial resources to provide proper security. Twenty Four hour security, and hiring of lawyers and private investigators to help disclose the identity of bandits who commit crimes or aspire to commit crimes maybe some of the steps Sikhs will take. Hopefully, such practices will bring such criminals to justice.
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