http://www.ny1.com/ny/TopStories/SubTop ... ntid=41473
Sikh Man Attacked By Group Shouting Derogatory Slurs In Queens
JULY 12TH, 2004
Police are investigating an assault on a Queens man whose family says he was attacked because he's a Sikh.
According to family members, 54-year-old Rajinder Singh Khalsa was assaulted Sunday evening when he and his cousin were walking by the Villa Russo Restaurant in Richmond Hill, on the way to another restaurant.
Police say the two Sikh men got into an argument with three white men in their 20's, who Khalsa says made remarks about the turbans he and his cousin wear, and made a reference to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Khalsa says when he tried to explain the religious significance of the turban the men began to assault him.
The victim says other men not originally involved in the argument joined in the beating.
"They were beating me, like five or six people,? said Khalsa. ?They were just waiting, waiting, and they had something in their hands. I am sad more. Why an American attacking on an American? This is wrong. Why are Americans attacking innocents? This is wrong. We are peaceful people. If you see our community, all the community, you will see the record. Our Sikh community is so much a peaceful community.?
"Those people were drunk and they are hitting him just because he wore a turban. That is so unfair,? said Gurvinder Kaur, the victim?s daughter. ?Just look at your age and look at his age you; you should have some respect. We are peace loving people, and our religion teaches us to have peace and love each other, and not to hurt or hit anyone. How can you hit someone like that so cruel? Don't you have any human in you?"
Khalsa, who was knocked unconscious by the beating, was treated for multiple fractures to his nose and eye socket at Jamaica Hospital. He was released from the hospital on Monday morning.
The father of two has earned numerous awards for his community service and volunteer efforts, and he says he even organized a group to donate blood after September 11th.
News of the assault quickly spread through the Richmond Hills community, where many residents are clearly upset.
?Why did this happen so? Because we are very humble people and serve the community,? said one Sikh man. ?More than 30 years people are living here, but no such bad situation happened like this. We are very fearful for this.?
Police have made no arrests in connection with the case, which they have classified as a possible bias crime.
Witnesses say they jotted down the license plate of the car the attackers fled in, and that they picked up a cell phone one of the men left at the crime scene. The evidence has been turned over to police.
NYPD investigators are asking anyone with information about the case to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.
i'm not suprised. lived in this area for a good 17-18 years. this area was initially all italian. this use to be john gotti's and his mob's playground and home. i didn't enjoy much my childhood in this area. always felt like an outcast and faced some racism. only been in the past 10 years where the indian/guyanese population sky rocketed. most of the italians moved out but still take control of an area south to richmond hills.
i aint suprised this happened again. fcuking italians.
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Dreamcast 
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