NRI Sikh Bajeet Chadha's nose and jaw broken by hate crime assault

 

Queens, January 18th, 2008
Narinder Bhalla

On Monday night, Bajeet Chadha, 63, was just parked his car outside a Sikh temple in New Hyde Park, when David Wood, 36, allegedly approached him and scream, ""Arab, go back to your country."

According to the criminal complaint, David started punching Baljit, break his nose and jaw. During the attack, Singh’s turban was knocked off and his spectacles broke.

Mr. Chadha's wife, Jasbir Kaur, arrived at Long Island Jewish Hospital, where he received a CAT scan, X-rays, and several tests before being discharged at 3 a.m.

Next day, David was arrested and charged with second-degree assault as a hate crime, second and third degree assault and second-degree aggravated harassment. He was arraigned Tuesday night and is being held on $10,000 bail.

David was a next-door neighbour to the gurdwara (Sikh temple) at 95th Avenue and 222nd Street in Jamaica, New York. Wood had sometimes turned speakers playing loud music towards the gurdwara during a prayer service. In the past, gurdwara officials reminded congregants to park at a distance and also warned parents to keep their children away from Wood’s house.