Elderly Sikh man repeatedly punched, dies in New York; Mayor says 'reject hatred'

 In a resolute message on X (formerly Twitter), Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences and a commitment to protect the Sikh community following the tragic death of 66-year-old Jasmer Singh. The elderly Sikh man passed away after a brutal assault that occurred in the city last week.

Singh, a beloved member of the Sikh community, tragically lost his life after being involved in a car accident in New York City. The incident, which occurred on October 19, took a grim turn when he was repeatedly punched by a 30-year-old man, causing him to sustain fatal head injuries. Singh was rushed to the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, where he fought for his life but ultimately succumbed to the brain injury.

In response to this disturbing incident, Mayor Adams took to X to express his condolences and his unwavering commitment to the safety and protection of the Sikh community in New York. "On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want our Sikh community to know you have more than our condolences. You have our sacred vow that we reject the hatred that took this innocent life, and we will protect you," the Mayor wrote in his tweet.

Additionally, Mayor Adams announced that his team will be meeting with Sikh community leaders in the coming week to discuss their needs during this challenging time.

This tragic event follows another disturbing incident in New York City, where a 19-year-old Sikh individual was targeted in a suspected hate crime. The victim was repeatedly punched in the face, back, and the back of his head for wearing a turban and a mask. The assailant, 26-year-old Christopher Philippeaux, was arrested and charged with a hate crime in connection with the attack.

Philippeaux, who had a prior conviction for attempted robbery and was conditionally released on parole in July 2021, confronted the young Sikh victim, demanding that he remove his turban. "We don't wear that in this country," Philippeaux said, referring to the turban. He also insisted that the victim take off his mask.