Amritsar: Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj Wednesday strongly condemned the brutal assault of a 70-year-old man in the US.
Harpal Singh, an elderly Sikh man, was assaulted in Los Angeles and suffered a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. He was assaulted by “unhoused” man Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles August 4.
The jathedar of the highest temporal seat of Sikhs demanded that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and American investigative agencies ensure the accused person receives a strict and exemplary punishment.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested Monday for the brutal attack against Singh.
In a statement here Wednesday, jathedar Gargaj said it should be recorded as a hate crime and also said it is essential to understand the intent behind the attack.
Gargaj, while citing a 2024 hate crime report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said Sikhs remain the third most-targeted religious group, which is a grave concern.
“The FBI report records 153 hate crime incidents against Sikhs in 2024 alone,” he said, stressing the urgent need for collaborative efforts worldwide, including in the US, to raise awareness about Sikh identity in order to curb such attacks.
The jathedar asked Sikh organisations in the US to make special efforts to educate the American public about Sikh identity and, in case of difficulties, to seek the support of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht.
He also called on Sikhs living in the US to unite against such incidents, raise their voice with local authorities and governments, and demand enhanced security measures in their residential areas.
Gargaj further advised Sikhs abroad to remain alert. Families should avoid sending elderly members out alone, and walks should be taken in places or parks where other people are present, said Gargaj, who is also the jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib.
Calling the attack on a Sikh an attack on the entire community, Gargaj emphasised that such matters must be dealt with at a community level and with utmost seriousness.
He asked External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to ensure through the Indian mission in the US that the assault on Harpal Singh is officially recorded as a hate crime and that strict action is taken against the perpetrator.
Gargaj directed the SGPC to correspond with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure stringent action against the accused.
PTI
