Canada: 21-Year-Old Sikh Student Attacked, Turban Ripped Off, Dragged By Hair On Street

Gagandeep Singh's turban was ripped off and he was dragged by his hair before being thrashed. His eyes were swollen shut, and he could only speak in soft tones because of the pain.

Gagandeep Singh's turban was ripped off and he was dragged by his hair. (Representative image)

Source : (Photo: Unsplash/Sandy Millar)

A 21-year-old Sikh student from India was reportedly attacked by a group of unknown men in Canada's British Columbia province in what appeared to be a hate crime. According to CTV news, Gagandeep Singh was assaulted as he was heading home on Friday night. Councillor Mohini Singh, who visited Gagandeep after the attack, described the victim's condition as horrific.

She said that his eyes were swollen shut, and he could only speak in soft tones because of the pain he was experiencing. She added that a group of 12 to 15 young people harassed Gagandeep when he was on the bus, throwing a wig at him. They proceeded to swarm him after he got off the bus, beating him in the face, ribs, arms, and legs before dragging him across the sidewalk by his hair and ripping off his turban.

After he regained consciousness, Gagandeep called a friend, who came to the scene and called 911. Mohini Singh noted that the fact that Gagandeep is Sikh and from India was undoubtedly a factor in the assault, which she believes was racism and should be treated as a hate crime. The attack has left Gagandeep's friends and fellow international students shaken and scared, prompting a gathering at the bus stop where they spoke out about feeling less safe in their community.

The Kelowna Royal Canadian Mounted Police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident after someone was "hit from behind and assaulted" by a group of people at the bus stop Friday evening. Responding officers found the victim "laying on the ground," and the victim was taken to the hospital by paramedics. The Kelowna RCMP said that they take this incident seriously and are concerned that this type of crime has happened in their city. The assault is the top priority for their investigators, according to spokesperson Constable Mike Della-Paolera.

The attack on Gagandeep has been condemned by various individuals and organizations. The World Sikh Organization of Canada issued a statement expressing their concern about the attack and calling for action to be taken to address hate crimes. Meanwhile, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran said that the city is better than this, and he urged residents to come together to support Gagandeep and his family.

(With PTI inputs.)