Lok Sabha Question No. 3457 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-07
Subject: Racial Attacks on Indians
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: NEELAM SONKER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3457 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.12.2016

## RACIAL ATTACKS ON INDIANS

## † 3457. SHRIMATI NEELAM SONKER:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  Persons  of  Indian  Origin  (PIOs)  have  been  coming  under racial attacks in America during the last few years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof for each of the last three years;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken/is  taking  any  steps  to  check such attacks on Persons of Indian Origin; and
- (d) if so, the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) There are no clear indications to suggest that racial attacks in the last few years in the United States are specifically directed against Persons of Indian Origin. However, a few incidents of attacks on Persons of Indian Origin have been brought to the notice of this Ministry. These are given below:
- i. On February 10, 2014, one person was robbed and stabbed in San Francisco.
- ii. In August 2014, a man was killed, while working at a gas station at Hanover in Maryland.
- iii. In  January 2015, an owner of convenience store in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was shot dead in an attempted robbery.
- iv. On February 6, 2015, a 57-year old Indian national, who was visiting his  son  in  Madison,  Alabama  was  assaulted  by  a  Madison  County Police Officer, which left him partially paralyzed.
- v. On  March  9,  2015,  a  dentist  student  was  found  dead  in  an apartment in Albany, California.
- vi. In March 2015, one young Sikh boy was racially abused in a school in Georgia.
- vii. In  June  2015,  a  student  in  Miami  was  shot  dead  in  a  robbery attempt.
- viii. On  June  28,  2015,  a  26-year  old  man,  working  for  a  store  in Baltimore, Maryland was shot and killed by robbers.
- ix. On  August  25,  2015,  a  young  man  was  shot  dead  in  Hampton, Virginia.
- x. On September 8, 2015 one resident in the Darien city was assaulted near Chicago.
- xi. On December 26, 2015, a 68-year old Indian national was attacked by two miscreants in Fresno, California.
- xii. On June 18, 2016, an Indian national was shot dead by unidentified men at a convenience store in Macon, Georgia.
- xiii. On September 25, 2016, a 41-year old man was attacked by three miscreants in Richmond, California.
- xiv. On September 27, 2016, an Indian national was shot and critically injured at a gas station in Savannah, Georgia.
- xv. On  October  21,  2016,  an  Indian  national  was  shot  dead  at  a  gas station at Mississippi.
- xvi. On November 14, 2016, in Fremont, California, a 41-year old woman, who  was  wearing  a bandana,  became  a  victim  of  an  incident, wherein her car was burglarized and a note with racially abusive words  was  left.  She  was  left  unharmed,  as  she  was  not  at  the scene of crime.
- xvii. In November  2016,  a man  was  attacked  in a restaurant in Pennsylvania.
- (c) & (d) The safety and security of Indians abroad is among the top diplomatic  priorities  for  the  Government  of  India.  Missions  and  Posts remain vigilant and closely monitor any incident of attack against Indians and  Persons  of  Indian  Origin.  Such  incidents  are  immediately  taken  up with the concerned authorities of local, State and Union administration as  appropriate,  to  ensure  that  the  cases  are  properly  investigated  and guilty punished. The Government also engages with the US Congress for their support.

*****