Two Sikh teenagers fabricated the story that group of men cut off their hairs


N.J. March 10, 2004 : Two Sikh teenagers who told police that they were attacked by five men who yanked off their turbans and cut off their hair apparently fabricated the story, police said.

Lodi Police Chief Vincent J. Caruso said Wednesday that the pair _ 18-year-old Simrandeep Singh and a 17-year-old _ made a false bias claim to police on March 3 to conceal the fact that they had cut their own hair, in violation of their religion. Caruso said the two could face charges.

As of Wednesday night, none had been filed. He said Lodi police continued to investigate after finding holes in the teens' original report, and that the teens eventually cooperated. Singh and the 17-year-old told police they were at a bus stop when a group of men approached them and asked to borrow money. The groups got into a pushing match, and the groups wound up in Memorial Park, Capt. Vincent Quatrone has said.

There, the teens told police they were kicked and punched and robbed of about $40. One man was then reported to have removed the teens' turbans, pulled out a pair of scissors and cut 3 to 4 feet of hair from the victims as they pleaded with him to stop. Sikhs are forbidden by their religion to cut their hair, believing it is a gift from God

Two Sikh teenagers claim that they were beaten and robbed and cut off their hair.

NJ, March 5, 2004

Two Sikh teenagers told police they were beaten and robbed by a group of men who yanked off their turbans and cut off their hair.

The teens said they were at a bus stop Wednesday night when three men approached them and asked to borrow money, Capt. Vincent Quatrone said. The groups got into a pushing match, and the assailants ran into Memorial Park, he said.

The teens said they followed, but the men were joined by two accomplices, who kicked and punched them and robbed them of about $40, Quatrone said.

One man then removed the teens' turbans, pulled out a pair of scissors and cut 3 to 4 feet of hair from the victims as they pleaded with him to stop, the captain said.

Sikhs are forbidden by their religion to cut their hair, believing it is a gift from God.

"These types of bias incidents aren't tolerated in this community," Quatrone said. "It's upsetting, and we really want the public's help. That's how we solve most of our cases."


(Source: The Associated Press)