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Honoured for bravery during fatal axe attack

Surrey senior rejects ‘hero’ label as death of co-worker still haunts him.
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Narinder Nayar was 70 years old when he tried to save his co-worker Ravinder Bhangu from being killed by a man at a Surrey newspaper office where the pair worked. Despite Nayar’s brave actions

Carrying an axe and knife out of view, the man walking into a Newton newspaper office last July looked like any other customer.

Then, according to a witness at the Sach Di Awaaz Newspaper office at 128 Street and 82 Avenue, the man saw 24-year-old Ravinder Kaur Bhangu and began to strike her with the axe. She tried to block the descending blade with her arms and started to scream.

Standing about three metres away, 70-year-old Narinder Nayar moved to stop the attacker.

“I heard someone is crying (and) I rushed to that,” the volunteer photographer said in an interview with The Leader Tuesday, adding he yelled at the man: “What are you doing?”

Nayar tried to grab the assailant, but received a sharp blow to his left shoulder from the axe.

Undeterred, the senior came again at the attacker, who chopped at him a second time in the back of his shoulder with the axe.

Nayar remembers wondering why he was drenched with sweat, only learning later he was covered in his own blood.

Weakened and in pain, he fell back and went to call for the owner of the newspaper.

When he returned, the young woman he considered a daughter was motionless on the ground, her attacker now subdued by police.

Nayar was taken away by ambulance and treated for his wounds. He learned later that Bhangu was dead.

On the back wall of Nayar’s Newton basement suite, several plaques and commendations hang in honour of his actions that day.

Ravinder Kaur BhanguHe would trade them all, he says, if he could just bring Bhangu (pictured at left) back.

“She was extremely good as a human being. She respected me just like her father,” he said.

Nayar used to put in full days at the newspaper. On the day of the murder, he was sorting through photographs to choose which ones would run in the next edition of the paper.

He still volunteers, but only for an hour or so a day – the memories are too painful.

He rejects suggestions his actions were heroic.

“I was just trying to help her, that she should be alive,” Nayar said. “She should not die.”

Nayar, now 71, was recognized for his valour at the annual RCMP Officer in Charge Awards at the Surrey Arts Centre on Tuesday night.

“Mr. Nayar’s heroic actions during this tragic incident bring credit to him and are in keeping with the highest standards of a Canadian citizen,” police said in a statement.

The two officers who attended the scene were also recognized for their bravery.

When police arrived, the assailant dropped the weapon on their command, but did not comply when they told him to get on the ground.

RCMP Constables Ranjit Seehra and Daniel Barros repeated the command to get on the floor to no avail. Seehra physically subdued the man and took him down.

Manmeet SinghBhangu's husband, 27-year-old Manmeet Singh (left, in a court appearance), was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. He also faces charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

Last month, after a three-day preliminary hearing in Surrey Provincial Court, he was ordered to stand trial. His next court appearance is today (May 17) in New Westminster.

Nayar and the officers were just three of 100 people who received honours for acts of bravery at Tuesday’s event.

Some of the others included:

• Maria Markham, Elizabeth Nichols, and William Penalosa, for their efforts in detaining a male suspect in a violent robbery, Jan. 6, 2011.

• Constables Cameron Clements, Nicholas De Winter, Jean-Francois Lapierre, Deryk Roberts, and Eric Warawa for their actions in dealing with the unfolding scene of a murder and attempted murder on April 24, 2011.

• Const. Jason Raaflaub and Cpl. Reg Ratelle for their work in resuscitating a man from drowning on Sept. 24, 2011.

• Alyssa Boles-Aspol and  Taylor Jordan for interrupting and preventing the further sexual assault of a female victim on May 18, 2011.

• Const. Adriano Di Nella, Cpl. Kirk Duncan, Cpl. Mike Hall, Const. Gerard Kopperud, Sgt. Julie Moss, Const. Lyndsay O’Ruairc, Sgt. Dave Strachan, and Const. Pamela Vinh for their performance in conducting two complex and difficult unsolved homicide investigations that occurred in June and August of 2000.

• Cpl. Rob Dalphond, Const. Steve Gilray, Const. Marc Kinden, Sgt. Gary Rodricks, Const. Glenn Stuckless, Const. Eric Velcich, and Const. Ryan Walsh for their investigation into a series of break-and-enter thefts that occurred in the summer months of 2011.

• Richard Brousseau, Const. Marc-Andre Daigle, Const. Stefan Moxness and Nola Tait for their role in assisting a suicidal female on Jan. 26, 2012.

• Christopher Collins for his part in capturing a suspect who fled from a motor vehicle accident on Dec. 3, 2011.

• Const. Catherine MacDonald for her significant volunteer service to youth in the cities of Surrey and White Rock.

For a complete list of winners: www.surrey.rcmp.ca.

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