Sikh store-owner stabbed to death in US
New York, Aug 17 : A Sikh store-owner has been stabbed to death in the US state of New Jersey, in a third incident targeting the community in the country in the last three weeks.
Terlok Singh was found dead by his cousin Karnail Singh on Thursday in his East Orange suburb store with apparent stab wounds, WABC TV reported.
The assailant had put a knife in his chest, Karnail Singh told the station. Terlok Singh had a wife and children in India. He owned Park Deli and Grocery store in the US to support them.
The Essex County Prosecutor's office called the incident a homicide, reported ABC7NY. WNBC TV reported that the police did not have a motive for the killing and had made no arrest as of Thursday evening.
A worker interviewed from a nearby petrol station said he found Terlok Singh's body in a puddle of blood in the bathroom of the store.
Customers who spoke to the TV said the victim was "extremely generous". One of them, Anthony Pointdexter, said Terlok Singh was a "great guy and never bothered anybody".
Two Sikhs were attacked in separate incidents in California over the past few weeks, but they survived the assaults.
On July 31 in Keyes, Surjit Singh Malhi, 50, was attacked by two men when he was putting up a campaign sign for Republican Congressman Jeff Denham, KCRA TV said.
Malhi said they shouted at him, beat him and spray-painted his truck with a white nationalist symbol and wrote "go back to your country" on it, according to the station.
Malhi said that his turban saved him by acting like a helmet and absorbing the blows. The police were considering it a hate crime. On August 6, Sahib Singh Natt, 71, was thrown to the ground and spat on by two people in Manteca, about 40 km from Keyes.
The police arrested two teenagers and charged them with attempted robbery, elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon, but not a hate crime.
One of them, Tyrone McAllister, 18, an African American, is the son of police chief Darryl McAllister of Union City.
Earlier, an Indian woman, Sasikala Narra, and her six-year-old son were stabbed to death in another New Jersey town, Maple Shade, in March 2017 but that case has not been solved.
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Mehbooba seeks release of people arrested for 'peaceful' protests against Khamenei's killing
Srinagar (PTI): Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the Jammu and Kashmir Police to release those arrested for staging protests in the Valley against the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israel strike on February 28.
“Scores of protesters, including women, have been arrested across Kashmir for peacefully participating in rallies in the wake of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's martyrdom.
“Authorities had assured their families that they would be released soon. But, unfortunately, this hasn't been the case. Urge Jammu and Kashmir Police to consider their release at the earliest,” Mufti said in a post on X.
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Kashmir, which is home to about 15 lakh Shias, saw major protests at the Lal Chowk and Saida Kadal in Srinagar, Budgam, Bandipora, Anantnag and Pulwama after the news of Khamenei's killing spread, forcing the authorities to impose restrictions, which were lifted on Saturday morning.
While the protests were largely peaceful, minor clashes broke out at a few places between the security forces and the protesters, prompting the former to use force to maintain law and order.
The US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989.
Following the military offensive, Iran has carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israeli and American military bases in several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In the last few days, the conflict has widened significantly with attacks and counter-attacks by both sides.
