Two men have been charged in connection with the violent beating and murder of 19-year-old Manraj Akalirai in January, according to Vancouver police.
Amritpal Dhillon, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder and 18-year-old Amritpaul Rakhra has been charged with manslaughter, Const. Brian Montague said in a news release Wednesday.
Akalirai, a Vancouver resident, was allegedly swarmed on Elgin Street near 47th Avenue by a group of men who viciously attacked him and left him dying in the middle of the road.
He survived long enough to be loaded into an ambulance but died en route to the hospital, according to police.
Authorities said at the time Akalirai was found with “severe injuries believed to be caused by a sword,” but on Thursday, police wouldn’t confirm which weapons were used in the attack.
Police said two groups were involved in the altercation and investigators identified several persons of interest.
Dhillon and Rakhra remained in custody ahead of a court appearance late Wednesday.
Akalirai’s death was the city’s first homicide of 2013.
