The family of a woman gunned down in Langley 19 years ago is warning Victoria residents that one the men involved in the killing will be living among them.
Rupy Sidhu’s mother, Baljit Kaur Kondolay, was brutally murdered on April 19, 1998, shot twice in the head in front of her Langley home.
Police arrested three men — Kondolay’s husband, Ajit Grewall, his son, Sukhjit Grewall, and the son’s friend, Sandeep Toor.
The Grewalls were both sentenced to life in prison for first degree murder, with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Toor was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years for the lesser charge of second degree murder.
During his trial, it was established that Toor drove the car that transported the men to and from the crime scene. Last month the Parole Board of Canada granted him unescorted 60 days leave, during which he will live in a halfway house.
Speaking on behalf of her family, Sidhu expressed her frustration after Toor was approved for gradual release on July 25 at Williams Head Institution in the Greater Victoria area.
“The decision of the Parole Board of Canada is frustrating, to allow Sandeep Toor gradual release to the community, essentially a second chance at life, while my family and I continue to suffer the loss of my mother, Baljit Kaur Kondolay,” said Sidhu. “We continue to serve a life sentence - absolutely despicable.”
“He will be released to a halfway house and will engage in community services with the Salvation Army in Victoria,” Sidhu told the Times after the hearing.
“The UTA (unescorted temporary absence) has been approved for a 60-day period starting Aug. 10 and ends Oct. 8,” she said.
“He will be out free in the community of Victoria to focus on skills development programs, however, he must return to the halfway house nightly by curfew.
He has several conditions he must abide by during the 60 days.