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NY Sikh seriously
injured in unprovoked attack
opposite gurdwara
WSN
Network
Jamaica, NY: A Queens
resident living opposite a gurdwara has been charged with a hate
crime for breaking the nose and jaw of a Sikh worshiper without any
provocation. He had a history of creating trouble in the area, it
seems.
Baljeet Singh, the
63-year-old Sikh man suffered serious injuries last Monday evening
during an unprovoked attack by David C. Wood, a next-door neighbour
to the gurdwara at 95th Avenue and 222nd Street in Jamaica, New
York. Singh suffered a broken nose and a fractured jaw, which will
both require surgery. The suspect, Wood, aged 36, attacked Singh
after the latter had parked his car on the opposite side of the
street from where the gurdwara and the defendant's house are
located.
At approximately 5:45
p.m. on Monday, Baljeet Singh had parked his car down the street and
on the opposite side from the gurdwara and Wood's residence when the
latter began screaming incomprehensibly. As the victim started to
move towards the gurdwara, taking a path that allowed the most
distance from his would-be attacker, the defendant accosted Singh.
The victim said Wood swore at him and called him an Arab, before
punching him, causing him to bleed profusely and fall to the
sidewalk. During the attack, Singh's turban was knocked off and his
spectacles broke.
This series of events
transpired quickly and with no provocation from the victim, as the
two had never spoken at any point. According to the victim's son,
Harpreet Singh, two people assumed to be the perpetrator's parents
appeared immediately after the attack and approached his father as
he fell and supposedly asked if he was alright. The victim entered
the gurdwara and called 911, deciding not to disturb anyone else
with the situation due to the fact that prayers were in progress.
The victim's wife,
Jasbir Kaur, arrived as an ambulance was taking her husband away to
Long Island Jewish Hospital, where he received a CAT scan, X-rays,
and several tests before being discharged at 3 a.m. When police
arrived at the scene, both the assailant and the people thought to
be his parents had vacated the house.
Wood was arrested the
next night and was charged with 4 counts of assault, two of which
are classified as hate crimes, and an additional charge of
aggravated harassment. Wood was arraigned Tuesday night and is being
held on $10,000 bail.
The congregants of
the gurdwara, which the victim's family has attended for 12 years,
have previously experienced resentment from the defendant's house
due to the proximity of the gurdwara to his residence. Wood had
sometimes turned speakers playing loud music towards the gurdwara
during a prayer service. In the past, gurdwara officials reminded
congregants to park at a distance and also warned parents to keep
their children away from Wood's house. "As you can imagine," the
younger Singh claimed, "this incident has instilled a tremendous
fear in all of us."
Singh is scheduled
for surgery to correct his fractured jaw and broken nose.
23 January 2008
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