‘Racist’ attack on US gas station owned by Sikh

Washington, February 7

A gas station owned by a Sikh in the US state of Kentucky has been vandalised by a masked man with racist slurs and vulgar phrases, according to media reports.

The station in Greenup County was hit by vandals last week, sending shock waves among community members.

The vandals spray-painted vulgar phrases and symbols such as “white power, wastikas, and language too vulgar to air”, the local WSAZ TV said.

The TV channel said security footage showed a person wearing a ski mask approaching the store just after 11:30 pm.

Store owner Gary Singh, who came to America in the early 1990s, said he was shocked by the incident. “I was really nervous about that. It happened to me for the first time in this store in four years. I’ve never done wrong to the community here. I try to help the community all the time,” he said.

According to local Daily Mail, there were obscenities and other crudely lettered markings on the store that appear to say “leave”.

The Kentucky State Police said they were investigating the case as criminal mischief but they do plan on working with county prosecutors to discuss a hate crime charge on those responsible. — PTI