US probes hate crime against Sikh driver in New York after India lodges protest

The United States Department of State has opened an investigation into the attack on a Sikh taxi driver that happened outside the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City last week. India had urged US officials to investigate the hate attack on the Sikh taxi driver. 

The undated 26-second video shows a man punching the Sikh and allegedly using abusive words against the latter. He also knocks off his turban.

Taking note of the video doing the rounds on social media platforms, the Consulate General of India in New York termed the incident as deeply disturbing and informed that it had been taken up with US authorities.

In response, the US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that the country condemned any form of hate-based violence. The agency said, "We all have a responsibility to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable for their actions, no matter where such crimes occur."

1/2 We are deeply disturbed by reports of an apparent attack on a Sikh cab driver at J.F.K. airport, captured on video last week. Our diversity makes the U.S. stronger, & we condemn any form of hate-based violence.

— State_SCA (@State_SCA)

The 26-second video of the attack was uploaded on Twitter by a user identified as Navjot Pak Kaur. The video, she claimed, that the video was shot by a bystander at the JFK airport. Along with the video, Navjot said she had seen Sikh cab drivers being assaulted a number of times and that this particular incident had once again highlighted the fact that hatred continues to remain in society.