US: Elderly Sikh Man Dies Of 'Head Injury' After Being Repeatedly Punched; New York Mayor Reacts
Singh was walking back towards his car after getting his phone back, when Augustin punched him three times in the head and face
In an unfortunate incident, an elderly Sikh man died after he was hit his head and punched repeatedly by a 30-year-old man following a car accident in New York City. Sixty-six-year-old Jasmer Singh died of a brain injury at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens on Friday, a day after he was rushed there in critical condition following the assault.
Police has arrested one Gilbert Augustin on October 20 in connection with Singh’s death and charged him with manslaughter and assault, among other lesser charges, according to a report by Daily News.
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New York Mayor Reacts
Reacting to the incident, New York Mayor Eric Adams said on Sunday that Singh “loved" New York City and “deserved so much more than his tragic death". He also said that he will be meeting Sikh leaders this week to discuss the needs of the community following the incident.
“Jasmer Singh loved his city and deserved so much more than his tragic death. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want our Sikh community to know you have more than our condolences. You have our sacred vow that we reject the hatred that took this innocent life and we will protect you," Adams wrote on X.
Jasmer Singh loved his city and deserved so much more than his tragic death. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want our Sikh community to know you have more than our condolences. You have our sacred vow that we reject the hatred that took this innocent life and we will protect you. pic.twitter.com/JvhhmDJ9v2— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) October 22, 2023
“Our team will be meeting with Sikh leaders this week to discuss the needs of this critical community in this challenging moment," he said.
Singh’s Accident
Singh and Augustin reportedly collided on the Van Wyck Expressway near Hillside Avenue in Kew Gardens around 12 pm on October 19 and both cars had dents and scratches.
Prosecutors said quoting witnesses that they heard a man say “no police, no police" when Singh went to call 911 and saw him snatching the phone from Singh’s hands.
Singh got out of the car and followed Augustin in an attempt to get his phone back as the two argued, the Daily News report said.
Singh was walking back towards his car after getting his phone back, when Augustin punched him three times in the head and face, witnesses said.
The elderly man fell to the ground and hit his head, while Augustin hopped back into his Ford Mustang and took off, according to a criminal complaint.
Police arrested Augustin about two miles from the crash site and found he had a suspended drivers license and his Alabama license plate did not match his New York registration.
Following an arraignment in Queens on October 21, Augustin has been held without bail.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) Hate Crime Task Force is not yet investigating the incident, which they believe was sparked by a car crash, a police spokesperson said.
Crime Against Sikhs In US
The incident comes days after 19-year-old Mani Sandhu was punched multiple times and an attempt was made to remove his turban onboard a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus in New York City.
Sandhu said the hate-motivated attack left him “shaken and angry".
Releasing its annual report of hate crimes statistics in 2022 last week, the FBI recorded 198 cases of anti-Sikh hate crimes.
Stating that religiously-motivated hate crime victimisations were at their highest with a 17 per cent increase since 2021, the FBI said that Sikhs still remain the second-most targeted group in the nation.
(With IANS Inputs)
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