US: Elderly Sikh Man In Critical Condition After Being Assaulted With Golf Club Near Gurdwara In Los Angeles; Accused Arrested

Los Angeles: A 70-year-old Sikh man was brutally assaulted by an unknown person in the North Hollywood district, United States, on August 4. The victim, Harpal Singh, was assaulted with a golf club in the Lankershim Boulevard area of Los Angeles when he was returning from a gurdwara. Authorities denied that it was a hate crime.

Singh's condition is reported to be critical. He is reportedly unable to communicate due to internal bleeding in the brain. Singh has undergone three surgeries in the past one week, the victim's brother Dr Gurdial Singh Randhawa, said as reported by NDTV. Singh's facial bones were also broken.

A video of the disturbing incident also surfaced online. In the video, the Sikh Man could be seen sitting on the sidewalk in a pool of blood. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested a man for allegedly thrashing Singh.

Video Of The Incident:

The arrested person has been identified as 44-year-old Richard Vitagliano. As per witnesses, the assailant came on a bicycle and started attacking the elderly Sikh man. He fled from the spot before the police arrived.

The police scanned the CCTVs installed in the area and identified the accused. However, the police denied any hate crime angle in the attack. "Based on the evidence in this matter, North Hollywood detectives believe the assault was not a hate crime,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said as reported by CBS News.

Local reports claimed that there was a dispute between Singh and the accused over a property. As per a report by ABC7, Vitagliano has criminal records for narcotics, assault and several weapon charges.

A detailed investigation has been launched into the matter.