21-year-old Sikh student assaulted in Canada, turban ripped off : The Tribune India

PTI

Toronto, March 20

In an obvious hate crime, a 21-year-old Sikh student from India was attacked in Canada’s British Columbia province by a bunch of unidentified males who ripped off his turban and dragged him throughout the sidewalk by his hair, based on a media report.

Gagandeep Singh was assaulted when he was heading residence on Friday night time, CTV information reported.

Councillor Mohini Singh mentioned she heard of the assault shortly after it occurred and went to go to Gagandeep.

“I used to be horrified after I noticed him. He might communicate solely in delicate tones and could not open his mouth,”‘ she advised the information channel.

She mentioned the younger man’s eyes have been swollen shut and he was in vital ache.

The councillor mentioned she was advised that Gagandeep was heading residence round 10.30pm after grocery-shopping when he encountered a bunch of 12 to fifteen younger individuals on the bus. It was St Patrick’s Day and Mohini Singh mentioned a rowdy group was on the bus, throwing a wig round.

“They have been harassing him and threw the wig at him. He advised them to not trouble him or he’d name the police, and so they continued to harass him,” she mentioned.

Gagandeep bought off the bus.

“They bought off after him, waited for the bus to go away after which they swarmed him, they beat him in his face, in his ribs, arms, and legs after which proceeded to seize his turban, pull his hair and drag him,” Mohini Singh mentioned, including that the group took the turban with them after they left Gagandeep in a pile of “soiled snow” on the roadside.

“Taking his turban was the worst, it appears like they’ve taken it as a trophy.”

After he regained consciousness, Gagandeep referred to as a buddy who got here to the scene and referred to as 911.

Mohini Singh mentioned Gagandeep’s pals and fellow worldwide college students had been left shaken and scared by the assault, prompting a gathering on the bus cease on Sunday the place they spoke out about how they felt much less protected in their neighborhood.

The councillor mentioned the truth that Gangandeep is Sikh and from India was “undoubtedly” an element in the assault.

“I solely consider that is racism and it needs to be handled as that. It needs to be checked out by means of the lens of being a hate crime. This is so incorrect on so many ranges. This is just not one thing that’s acceptable anyplace — not in Kelowna, not anyplace,” she mentioned.

“This is insupportable, it is completely disgusting.”

The Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in a press release, confirmed that they’re investigating after somebody was “hit from behind and assaulted” by a bunch of individuals on the bus cease on Friday night and that responding officers discovered the sufferer “mendacity on the bottom”. No particulars about accidents have been supplied however authorities mentioned the sufferer was taken to hospital by paramedics.

“The Kelowna RCMP take this very significantly and are involved that any such crime has occurred in our metropolis,” spokesperson Constable Mike Della-Paolera mentioned.

“This assault is the highest precedence for our investigators.”