Latest news with #Vitagliano
News18
10 hours ago
- News18
Two Sikh Men Assaulted In UK's Wolverhampton, Turban Removed, Video Emerges
Last Updated: Two elderly Sikh men were assaulted in Wolverhampton, UK, on August 15, during which one victim's turban was forcibly removed. Three teenagers were arrested, a report claimed. Two elderly Sikh men were assaulted in Wolverhampton, the United Kingdom, during which the turban of one of the Sikhs was forcibly removed. A video of the incident was shared on X by Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal, who condemned the attack and called for the country's police to act swiftly on the case. In the video, a man could be seen kicking and punching one of the elderly Sikhs until the act is interrupted by a passerby who pulls back the attacker. Another Sikh man, meanwhile, could be seen sitting by the side in an injured condition. In the X post, Badal wrote, 'I strongly condemn the horrific attack on two elderly Sikh men in Wolverhampton, UK, during the course of which one Sikh's turban was removed forcibly." 'This racist hate crime targets the Sikh community, which always seeks Sarbat Da Bhala (the well-being of all)," he mentioned. 'I urge West Midlands Police and the UK Home Office to act swiftly & deliver justice the victims. I also urge Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to raise this issue with the UK government to ensure the safety of the Sikh diaspora," he added. According to NDTV, the incident happened on August 15 and three teenagers were arrested in connection with the case. They were later released on bail, the report claimed. On August 4, an elderly Sikh man was assaulted in Los Angeles and suffered a skull fracture and potential brain trauma, as authorities announced a suspect had been arrested for the attack. Harpal Singh, 70, was assaulted by 'unhoused" man Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested for the 'brutal attack" against Singh. Vitagliano has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon, and his bail was set for USD 1.1 million. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
44-year-old man arrested for assaulting elderly Sikh in US
A 44-year-old man has been arrested for assaulting an elderly Sikh man, the Los Angeles police department said in a statement on Tuesday. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime. The brutal assault left Harpal Singh, 70, with a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. Singh was assaulted by an 'unhoused' man, Bo Richard Vitagliano, while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested on Monday for the 'brutal attack' against Singh. Vitagliano has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon, and his bail was set for USD 1.1 million. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime. It said Singh has sustained very serious injuries during the assault and remains in critical condition. The police said that on August 4, law enforcement officials responded to a radio call of an 'assault with a deadly weapon investigation.' Preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between Singh and Vitagliano, who is an 'unhoused' individual. Witnesses said while they did not see how the altercation began, they heard a loud commotion, then witnessed two men swinging metal objects at each other, the LAPD said. Both individuals were struck, and Vitagliano further assaulted Singh while he was reportedly on the ground. When witnesses intervened by yelling at Vitagliano, he rode away on his bicycle. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded and transported Singh to a nearby hospital, where he was admitted for a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. Singh continues to be under the care of a physician due to injuries suffered in the altercation. Vitagliano has an extensive criminal record for narcotics, assault with a deadly weapon, and various weapons charges. Based upon the evidence in this matter, police believe the assault was not a hate crime, but instead motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the victim. LAPD said local officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area following this incident and will continue engaging the community to discuss public safety and address any further concerns of the Sikh community. The Sikh Coalition noted that it is 'impossible to completely rule out that this is a hate crime at this stage. The suspect has been in custody for less than 24 hours, and Harpal ji himself remains unconscious and has thus been unable to sit for a full police interview, with professional translation services, separate from a conversation immediately after the attack.' 'After such an interview happens, if the LAPD still believes this was not a hate crime, they must publicly clarify how they determined hate was not a factor in this assault,' it said. Singh's brother, Dr Gurdial Singh Randhawa, said he is grateful that the police have arrested a suspect for the horrific assault, but 'we need to better understand this attack and why it is not being considered a hate crime.' 'Justice must be served, and our local Sikh community must know that the area around our gurdwara—where we gather to worship, learn, connect, eat, and serve others—is safe for all,' he added. Akal Takht jathedar condemns assault, calls it hate crime Amritsar Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj on Wednesday condemned the assault. In a statement here on 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 asked external affairs minister S Jaishankar to ensure through the Indian mission in the US that the assault 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. DSGMC seeks justice
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
Elderly Sikh man brutally assaulted in LA, suspect in custody
An elderly Sikh man was assaulted in Los Angeles and suffered a skull fracture and potential brain trauma, as authorities announced a suspect has been arrested for the attack. Harpal Singh, 70, was assaulted by "unhoused" man Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) that Mr. Vitagliano, 44, was arrested on Monday (August 11, 2025) for the 'brutal attack' against Mr. Singh. Mr. Vitagliano has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon, and his bail was set for $1.1 million. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Mr. Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime. It said Mr. Singh has sustained very serious injuries during the assault and remains in critical condition. The police said that on August 4, law enforcement officials responded to a radio call of an 'assault with a deadly weapon investigation.' Preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between Mr. Singh and Mr. Vitagliano, who is an 'unhoused' individual. Witnesses said while they did not see how the altercation began, they heard a loud commotion, then witnessed two men swinging metal objects at each other, the LAPD said. Both individuals were struck and Mr. Vitagliano further assaulted Mr. Singh while he was reportedly on the ground. When witnesses intervened by yelling at Mr. Vitagliano, he rode away on his bicycle. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded and transported Mr. Singh to a nearby hospital where he was admitted for a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. Mr. Singh continues to be under the care of a physician due to injuries suffered in the altercation. Mr. Vitagliano has an extensive criminal record for narcotics, assault with a deadly weapon, and various weapons charges. Based upon the evidence in this matter, police believe the assault was not a hate crime, but instead motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the victim. LAPD said local officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area following this incident and will continue engaging the community to discuss public safety and address any further concerns of the Sikh community. The Sikh Coalition noted that it is 'impossible to completely rule out that this is a hate crime at this stage. The suspect has been in custody for less than 24 hours, and Harpal ji himself remains unconscious and has thus been unable to sit for a full police interview, with professional translation services, separate from a conversation immediately after the attack." "After such an interview happens, if the LAPD still believes this was not a hate crime, they must publicly clarify how they determined hate was not a factor in this assault,' it said. Singh's brother Dr Gurdial Singh Randhawa said he is grateful that the police have arrested a suspect for the horrific assault, but 'we need to better understand this attack and why it is not being considered a hate crime." "Justice must be served, and our local Sikh community must know that the area around our gurdwara—where we gather to worship, learn, connect, eat, and serve others—is safe for all,' he added.
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business Standard
Sikh elder, 70, beaten with golf club in Los Angeles; one arrested
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested a suspect in connection with the August 4 assault on an elderly Sikh man outside a gurdwara of LA. Harpal Singh, 70, was attacked with a golf club in North Hollywood, sustaining a skull fracture and potential brain trauma, reported CBS News. The suspect, identified as Bo Richard Vitagliano, 44, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and is being held on a $1.2 million bail. Surveillance footage led to his arrest a week later near the gurdwara. What happened in North Hollywood? Singh was walking near the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Saticoy Street when an argument reportedly broke out with Vitagliano. Witnesses said the two swung metal objects at each other before Singh fell to the ground, where Vitagliano continued the assault. The attacker fled on a bicycle before police arrived. LAPD described Vitagliano as unhoused with an extensive criminal history involving assault with a deadly weapon, narcotics, and weapons offences. What did the police say? According to investigators, the assault began over a dispute about Singh's property and is not being investigated as a hate crime. 'Based on the evidence in this matter, North Hollywood detectives believe the assault was not a hate crime,' LAPD said, reported CBS News. What did Harpal's family say? Singh remains unconscious in hospital after undergoing several surgeries. His brother, Gurdial Singh Randhawa, expressed gratitude for the arrest but questioned why the attack was not classified as a hate crime. "Justice must be served, and our local Sikh community must know that the area around our gurdwara—where we gather to worship, learn, connect, eat, and serve others—is safe for all," he told CBS News.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- New Indian Express
Elderly Sikh man brutally assaulted in Los Angeles, suspect in custody
NEW YORK: An elderly Sikh man was assaulted in Los Angeles and suffered a skull fracture and potential brain trauma, as authorities announced a suspect has been arrested for the attack. Harpal Singh, 70, was assaulted by "unhoused" man Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested on Monday for the brutal attack against Singh. Vitagliano has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon, and his bail was set for USD 1.1 million. Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime. It said Singh has sustained very serious injuries during the assault and remains in critical condition. The police said that on August 4, law enforcement officials responded to a radio call of an assault with a deadly weapon investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between Singh and Vitagliano, who is an 'unhoused' individual.
