IndiaPost.com - NY Sikhs worry at rising street crime

NEW YORK: Following the vicious attack on 59-year old Gurjit Singh just doors away from his doorstep in Richmond Hill by three youths last month, the United Sikhs called on the police to step up patrols and install surveillance cameras in the neighborhood.

Gurjit Singh was walking home after his brother dropped him off after work around the corner from his house in Richmond Hill. As he walked towards his house on 91st Avenue and 112th street at around 6.30 pm on Nov 7, three youths grabbed him from behind, knocked off his turban and threw it to the ground.

Two of the attackers repeatedly stamped on his face and body as the other searched Singh’s pockets for his wallet, in vain. Even though the whole ordeal lasted only a minute, Singh suffered various injuries including swelling and cut to the face and tongue and extensive bruising to his hands. The youths then ran off with Singh’s lunch bag and made off in a black car that was waiting for them further along the road. When Singh finally managed to get to his front door, his family was horrified to see him in his blood drenched clothes and face.

They immediately dialed 911 at 7 pm and awaited the arrival of the police, who eventually arrived at 8.30 pm. On their arrival, the police called the ambulance for immediate medical attention. Singh was then rushed to Jamaica Hospital.

The family feels that the hospital did not attend to Singh’s injuries urgently and he had to wait three hours before he was given any pain killers and had his injuries attended to. Singh’s family often walks to the Gurdwara, (Sikh place of worship) which is close to their home. However, Singh now fears walking to the Gurdwara and said, "Now I am scared.

We usually walk to the Gurdwara, which is only around the corner and we now no longer feel safe." The family also expressed their concerns about youngsters who ‘hang around street corners’ and pointed out that there was a lack of police patrol around their area in Richmond Hill. Harjot Singh, Gurjit Singh’s son-in-law, said, "We need more security in this area."

He is very concerned for the safety of his mother and wife who usually walk to the Gurdwara. Raising serious concerns of increased street crime in the area, the United Sikhs has written to the Commanding Officer of 102nd precinct, Deputy Inspector Paul Piekarski, calling on him to take urgent action to allay the fears of local residents.

Jodh Verinder Singh, a committee member of the local Gurdwara said, "We have seen an increased number of youngsters hanging around the streets and feel that we do need more police presence around this area as many children and elderly members of our community walk to the Gurdwara." In their plea to Piekarski, the United Sikhs has asked him to liaise with the Technical Assistance Response Unit (TARU) to install Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) and to step up police patrols in the area, so that the elderly and children feel safer on the streets. "We have also written to the NY Committee Head on Public Safety, Council Member, Peter F. Vallone Jr., to draw his attention to the concerns of the local residents, said Tejinder Singh , United Sikhs legal advisor.

"We have been informed by the police that there are presently no CCTV cameras in the area. We are committed to working with the police to ensure that the local community feels safer and that they have confidence in the police investigations to bring the offenders to justice," he added. Jodh Verinder Singh added, "This incident has shocked us and we know of other incidents that have occurred in this area. We have seen an increased number of youngsters hanging around the streets and feel that we do need more police presence around this area as many children and elderly members of our community walk to the Gurdwara."

He also added that last month many car tires were slashed outside the Gurdwara, which caused a great inconvenience to the owners. Urging members of the community to come forward with any information they may have on the attackers and assist the police in finding the culprits, the United Sikhs said it would continue to work with the police to determine whether there is an increase in crimes in the area.