Man charged with hate crime in US for punching Sikh teen wearing turban
New York (PTI): A 26-year-old man has been arrested and charged with a hate crime in the US for attacking a Sikh teenager on a bus here for wearing a turban, according to media reports.
Police on Thursday arrested Christopher Philippeaux, who was conditionally released by parole in July 2021 after serving more than two years in prison, and charged him with a hate crime after the incident on the bus near 118th Street and Liberty Avenue in Queens on October 15, CBS News reported.
According to police, Philippeaux approached the 19-year-old Sikh boy on the New York City MTA bus and said, "We don't wear that in this country," referring to his turban.
He also asked the teen to take his mask off.
The suspect then punched the victim in his face, back and in the back of his head, causing cuts and pain, according to police. Police said the man also tried to remove the turban from the head of the teen before getting off the bus and running along Liberty Avenue.
Records show Philippeaux was conditionally released by parole in July 2021 after serving more than two years in state prison for a Manhattan attempted robbery conviction, New York Daily News said.
He has other arrests, most recently for obstructing governmental administration in Brooklyn last month, police said. It appears that the case has been sealed, it said.
The Sikh teen on Wednesday said he is "shaken and angered" by the assault and that no one should be harassed because of how they look.
"Right now, the victim is very traumatized," ABC News quoted community activist Japneet Singh as saying. "The family is very scared for him."
Though he refused treatment at the scene, Singh says the victim was injured badly enough that he won't be able to work for the next few days.
"I watched the video and I was angry, I was outraged, and just moved by what happened to the victim," said Shanifah Rieara, MTA's Acting Chief Customer Officer. "New York City is a melting pot and it's from my understanding that this gentleman has only been here for about a year, and this is not how we welcome people to our city."
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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