US officials treat Indian’s murder as hate crime
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NEW YORK: Authorities in the United States, including FBI agents, are investigating the killing of an Indian engineer and wounding of another, along with harassment of a Pakistani couple on an airliner, as hate crime, according to the New York Times.
The Pakistani couple was harassed by a passenger who badgered them with remarks like “are you carrying bombs?” He was eventually taken off the flight by the plane’s captain.
In New Delhi, the killing of the engineer in Kansas state has raised questions about the treatment of foreigners in the United States after the inauguration of Donald Trump as president.
Mr Trump’s aggressive stance against foreigners is being cited as a reason for the rise in xenophobic incidents.
One witness said that the engineer’s killer, identified by the authorities as Adam Purinton, 51, yelled “get out of my country” before opening fire.
A bartender at a restaurant in Clinton, Montana, where Mr Purinton was eventually captured, said he heard him boast that “I have killed two Middle Eastern men”.
A 24-year-old American man who tried to calm down Purinton after he heard him utter racist slurs was shot at.
Purinton was charged on Thursday with one count of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder.
Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2017
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Comments (23) Closed
Feb 25, 2017 04:18pm
Apparently racism under the surface, has now openly resurfaced. Looks Indian Hindus were target of mistaken identity,mistakenly considered mid eastern. From now on brown skinned expats better stop visiting bars, night clubs.
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Feb 25, 2017 04:47pm
The Trump admirers from across border are quiet for a change. They might have realized that they can be the first victim of anti Muslim violence, as they were earlier warned. Racism doesn't spare anyone. Many white people paradoxically, found themselves victim of anti black racism.
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Feb 25, 2017 04:56pm
I line and workin Washington.D.C; this news barely got any mention in the US press at all; similar hate crimes are also mostly ignored. Asian immigrants in the US will need to become more politicaly active.
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Feb 25, 2017 05:25pm
Sad, but perhaps this will put an end to all those unblinkered Indian cheerleaders who were so jubilant after Trump won the election - despite his hate-mongering and divisive views.
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Feb 25, 2017 05:29pm
Indians have always supported Trump just because their enemy is same !
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Feb 25, 2017 05:46pm
Amazing! Stone-deaf silence from all those countless Indian admirers of Trump. Where are they hiding now??
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Feb 25, 2017 05:51pm
Indians were liked by Trump!!
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Feb 25, 2017 05:51pm
Even after 9/11 incident, there was a surge in hate crimes. Within days of that tragic event, the first victim of a hate crime was a Sikh gas-station cashier, who was mistaken for being an Arab because of his turban.
I am only dreading mass shooting somewhere in America. These white fascists, neo-nazi and skin-heads don't know the difference between a Hindu and a Muslim, or an Iranian from an Arab. They will target a temple as easily as a mosque. Their focus will be only with black hair and darker skin!!! So beware.
I recall before the elections, a lot of Indians were cheering Trump and his pronouncements, and praying for his victory because they thought it would be good for America and Indian businesses. After the elections, you can see that It is not good for anyone!
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Feb 25, 2017 05:54pm
To think that some of Trump's ardent supporters have been and are many Indians in America and outside. Even his staunchest supporter, Nicky Haley - the US Ambassador to the UN made no secret for her admiration for racist laced Trump. I wonder how she feels the effect of her boss's misguided policies and views??
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Feb 25, 2017 06:38pm
@Khan USA, this is not first time when some Asian or Indian been attacked in US. Same incidents happen many times in past (in Obama's administration) and other in western countries too. I remember when Indian Gentleman was burned alive in bus in Australia and Trump is not Ausis president or PM. Can you justify that?
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Feb 25, 2017 07:00pm
We Indians and particularly Asian are champion on pointing finger to others while remaining fingers are pointed towards us. Cen we claim that we are not racial in our own country ??? Check the stats.
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Feb 25, 2017 07:36pm
@Skeptic
Get your facts straight. Nicky Haley never supported Donald Trump. She supported Marco Rubio.
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Feb 25, 2017 07:37pm
im not a trump supporter but an old indian aged man was beaten up badly and killed during obamas reign, by that logic according to some comments here obama would be responsible for it?
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Feb 25, 2017 07:46pm
To all of those my Indian friends who were celebrating Muslim ban and Trump fans who distributed the sweets during his inauguration must realize that when wheat is grinded the barley gets grinded as well.we must decide to stick to love cos hate is too much of a burden to bear...
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Feb 25, 2017 07:52pm
@Pragmatic - Yet she agreed to join his team and gladly accepted the job, and cheers for him and promotes Trump's anti-Palestinian policies at the UN, as she cheers Israeli settlements on Palestinian land!
Are we suffering from selective memories or don't want to see the other side of the coin?
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Feb 25, 2017 08:00pm
@Pragmatic -Did someone force her to switch sides, when she saw her horse lost the race, way before even the elections?
This is called an 'opportunist'. Nicky Haley did not really support anyone with sincerity but saw an opportunity to climb the ladder to raise her career prospects, and joined the Trump bandwagon, after the elections. Principles be damned! No matter how tasteless and thankless the job or controversial her boss.
Something tells me, however, she will yet again switch horses when Trump phenomena is about to fade. She might even come to Democratic side. Anything to keep your profile active and stay with the winner, even if you disagree with their platform eh!?
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Feb 25, 2017 08:14pm
Most of my Indian coworkers voted for trump in CA. Sad taste of reality at work!
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Feb 25, 2017 08:48pm
@Khanm true
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Feb 26, 2017 01:30am
@Ghani K as if they planned to anyhow..lmao!!!!
duh.
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Feb 26, 2017 01:47am
@Ghani K
Donald Trump will be great President for USA; he will stop the outflow of American jobs to foreigners through HB1 visa. These jobs are never advertised for American graduates. Employment agencies in America have big business to lore foreigners for these jobs in exchange of hefty charges which American graduates cannot afford to pay.
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Feb 26, 2017 02:48am
@KK Indians have stolen US jobs. Many US workers were made to train their low paid Indian replacement as part of their severance package. The resentment against Indians runs very deep in US educated class. This incident was a result of mistaken identity but due to genuine resentment this is something Indian IT babus must be careful about.
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Feb 26, 2017 03:19am
Most Indians living in the US are enthusiastic supporters of Modi back home despite his dismal record on tolerance. For the same reasons they have been blind to the divisiveness of Trump and have cheered him on. I wonder if this hate crime will change their minds or if they will continue to feel safe from the hate Trump's election has unleashed.
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Feb 26, 2017 05:40am
@Raj Patel Agree with you.
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