Skip to content

Richmond RCMP appeals for witnesses after man falls to his death inside home

Mounties were not notified of the incident until almost a week later
Richmond RCMP car
Richmond Mounties are investigating a death from a fall inside a Richmond home

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man apparently fell down stairs inside a building in Richmond and later died.

At around 9 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 30, a 50 year-old man from Maple Ridge was taken to hospital by ambulance after falling down a flight of stairs in the 11700-block of River Road in north east Richmond.

The victim suffered serious injuries in the fall, and, on Feb. 3, he succumbed to his injuries.

Several other media outlets have named the deceased as Rajinder Singh Bhela, 50, a South Asian community political organizer and former general secretary of Vancouver’s Ross Street Sikh Temple.

However, Richmond RCMP was not aware of the incident until Feb. 5 when the BC Coroners Service requested clarification on the circumstances. 

Members of the Richmond RCMP Serious Crime Unit immediately began investigating and, while the investigation is still ongoing, evidence obtained so far suggests this was an accidental fall.

If you happened to witness the incident, contact the Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212, quoting file number 21-3371.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit them online.