Sikh teen ‘assaulted’ in Canada

Toronto, September 14

The Canadian police are investigating an incident in which a 17-year-old Sikh student was “kicked, punched and pepper-sprayed” after an “altercation” on a public transit bus in the British Columbia province.

The incident happened at the intersection of Rutland Road South and Robson Road East in Kelowna shortly before 4 pm on Monday,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on Wednesday. “A Sikh student was either beer or pepper sprayed by another boy after exiting a public transit bus on his way home,” a statement from Kelowna RCMP read.

It added that before the assault, there was “an altercation” aboard a bus, which resulted in those involved being kicked off. Calling an investigation into the incident, the World Sikh Organisation of Canada (WSOC) identified the Sikh as a Grade 11 student, who was attacked while riding a transit bus from Rutland Secondary School.

“Monday’s attack on a Sikh high school student in Kelowna is shocking and unacceptable,” said Guntaas Kaur, WSO vice-president for British Columbia (BC).

A release issued by the WSOC said: “Two individuals approached the student and first barred his entry on to the bus and then, once allowing him to board, began to threaten him with a lighter and photograph and record him from a close distance with their phones.”

“When the Sikh student turned away, the attackers’ phone fell from their hands and they began to kick and punch the Sikh student in front of the bus driver,” the WSOC statement read. It further said that the bus driver did not intervene and, in fact, ordered the Sikh student and his attackers off the bus at the Rutland and Robson stop. — IANS

‘Altercation’ aboard a bus

The police said there was “an altercation” aboard a bus, which resulted in those involved being kicked off. Calling an investigation into the incident, the World Sikh Organisation of Canada identified the Sikh as a Grade 11 student, who was attacked while travelling in a transit bus from Rutland Secondary School.