A Sikh man was found stabbed to death at the grocery store he owned in New Jersey, United States, on Aug. 16. Tarlok Singh, 55, was found with a stab wound on his chest by his cousin at Park Deli & Grocery on North Park Street in East Orange.
He was pronounced dead at the at the scene, according to a statement released from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. The regional medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. No arrests have been made yet and investigations are on, the statement added.
The motive behind the murder was not immediately known. Authorities did not say how Singh was killed, nj.com reported. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, Katherine Carter, said, “We are not releasing that information at this time,” according to the report.
Singh is survived by his wife and children who live in India, ABC7NY reported, citing information from his family members. He had been running the store for the past six years, the report added.
The incident, the third attack on a Sikh in the United States in three weeks, was condemned by local Sikh groups on the social media.
“We strongly condemn this brutal attack on S. Tarlok Singh in New Jersey. It was third Sikh to be attacked in last three weeks. Now it become important to make people aware about the #Sikhism across the globe,” the Sikhs for Sikhs Twitter page posted.
We strongly condemn this brutal attack on S. Tarlok Singh in New Jersey. It was third Sikh to be attacked in last three weeks. Now it become important to make people aware about the #Sikhism across the globe. https://t.co/Df3Ka8MEJP
— Sikhs For Sikhs (@SikhsForSikhs) August 17, 2018
The Sikh Coalition urged the community members to share any relevant information with the authorities.
Sikh leaders in India also requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take up the issue with the United States.
“The way hate crime and attacks on Sikhs are increasing across the globe, it is important to make people aware about Sikhism,” Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal tweeted.
I condemn the brutal murder of Terlok Singh in New Jersey. The way hate crime & attacks on Sikhs are increasing across the globe, it is important to make people aware about Sikhism. I request @SushmaSwaraj ji to take cognizance of the case & take up this issue with the US govt. pic.twitter.com/190BJvsh0I
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) August 17, 2018
“These hate crimes in US are reaching an alarming level now. Third Sikh to be attacked in three weeks. Appeal to Sushma Swaraj ji to personally intervene and take up this matter with the authorities there. My heartfelt condolences for the family,” Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Union Minister of Food Processing, tweeted.
Earlier this month, an elderly Sikh man out on his morning walk was attacked in Manteca, California, by two teenagers. A police chief’s son was among the two suspects arrested later for allegedly assaulting Sahbit Singh Natt, 71, on Aug. 6.
A few days before Natt was assaulted, a 50-year-old Sikh man was allegedly beaten up by two white men in a racist attack in California. He was hit in the head with a rod several times while his attackers uttered racial slurs, saying “You are not welcome here,” and “Go back to your country.”