Indian authorities aim to have Canadians sent to face charges in border deaths

Indian authorities have started the process to have two Canadians extradited to face charges after four members of the same family froze to death in southern Manitoba while trying to cross into the United States, says a police officer.

Chaitanya Mandlik, deputy commissioner of police for Ahmedabad's crime branch in the state of Gujarat, said authorities are looking to send Vancouver residents Fenil Patel and Bitta Singh, who also goes by Bittu Paji, to face charges in India.

"We need to interview them and we need to get some more information," he told The Canadian Press.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said Wednesday extradition requests are "confidential state-to-state communications."

"We cannot confirm or deny the existence of a potential request until made public by the courts," Ian McLeod said in an email.

Canadian authorities found bodies of a couple and their two children metres from the United States border on Jan. 19, 2022.