Elderly Sikh dies after being punched in America
New York: An elderly Sikh man died after being repeatedly punched by a 30-year-old man following a car accident in New York City. Said in a media report. Jasmer Singh, 66, was taken in critical condition to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, where he died of brain injuries a day after the attack on him on October 19. The accused, Gilbert Augustin, was arrested on October 20, the New York-based Daily News reported. Police said the cars of Singh and Augustin collided on the Van Wyck Expressway near Hillside Avenue in Kew Gardens at around 12 noon on October 19. Prosecutors quoted witnesses who said they heard a man say “no police, no police” when Singh went to call 911 and saw him knock the phone out of Singh’s hands. The Daily News said Singh got out of the car and chased Augustin in an attempt to get his phone back. Witnesses said that as Singh was walking back to his car after retrieving his phone, Augustin punched him three times in the head and face. Singh fell to the ground and hit his head, while Augustin got back into his Ford Mustang and drove away. Police arrested Augustin about two miles from the crash site and found that his license was suspended and that his Alabama license plate did not match his New York registration. Following an arraignment in Queens on October 21, Augustin is being held without bail. A police spokesperson said that the New York Police Department (NYPD) Hate Crimes Task Force is not yet investigating the incident, which they believe was caused by a car accident. Reacting to the incident, New York Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday said he would meet Sikh leaders this week to discuss the needs of the community after the incident. Adams wrote on Twitter, “Jasmer Singh loved his city. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want our Sikh community to know that you have more than our sympathies. You have made a solemn pledge that we reject the hatred that has given rise to it.” “Our team will meet with Sikh leaders this week to discuss the needs of the community at this challenging moment,” he said. The incident comes days after a man punched 19-year-old Mani Sandhu and tried to remove his turban on a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus in New York City.
