Sikh teen assaulted in New York for wearing turban in suspected hate crime attack: Police
New York (PTI): In a suspected hate crime, a 19-year-old Sikh was assaulted and injured in New York for wearing a turban while travelling in a shuttle bus, the police said.
The attack took place early on Sunday when the Sikh teen was riding a shuttle bus in Queens, a borough of New York City, CBS News channel reported.
According to the police, the suspect approached the victim, asking him to remove his turban and said, "We don't wear that in this country and take that mask off!"
The attacker then repeatedly punched the teen in his face, back, and the back of his head, causing minor cuts.
He also tried to remove the victim's turban from his head before getting off the bus and leaving the scene on foot, the report said.
Police described the suspect as "a male, 25-35 years of age, dark complexion, slim build, approximately 5'9" tall, with brown eyes and black hair," and sought the public's help to find him.
The New York Police Department hate crime unit is investigating the incident, and the police department is calling it a hate crime assault, NBC New York TV channel reported.
No arrests have been made in the case yet, The Messenger news portal reported.
The victim, who was not named, refused further medical treatment at the scene, police said in the statement sent to The Messenger.
"Right now, the victim is very traumatised," community activist Japneet Singh was quoted as saying by ABC7 television station. "The family is very scared for him," Singh added.
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.
"We are in contact with the survivor and working with him to provide support as needed; he has requested anonymity for the time being. Our current understanding is that NYPD is, appropriately, investigating this incident as a hate crime," Sikh Coalition, a national organisation representing the minority community, said in a post on X.
"As we stand alongside our allies from all communities, we will continue to insist that no one should have to fear for their personal safety while simply existing in public," the post added.
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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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