(Image source from: opindia.com)

A sikh-owned restaurant has been severely destroyed as a part of the hate crimes in Sante Fe City of New Mexico recently. Hate messages were scrawled all over.

An Indian restaurant named “Indian Palace” in the New Mexico State of the US has been a victim of the ongoing hate crimes recently.  The restaurant’s owner Baljit Singh confirmed a loss of about $100,000. The crime was reportedly carried by a white supremacist group.

The perpetrators of the crime wrote slogans like “white power”, “trump 2020” on the walls the restaurant. According to the reports, the incident took place on Monday and FBI has been investigating the case.

As per the local newspaper, the vandals have overturned the tables and mutilated the front desk area and the kitchen.

The owner in a state of shock said, “I walked into the kitchen, I saw everything and I was like hold on, what? What is going on here?” Due to COVID-19, the restaurant has been closed for while and Singh has reopened his business recently.

Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) board chairman, Simran Singh has condemned the incident and said “Sante Fe city has been a peaceful town and the Sikh-community has lived here, beautifully integrated, since the 60s”.

Some of the graffiti on the walls also suggest that this might be a case of mistaken identity. Many a time, Sikhs have been mistaken for Islamists as they wear turbans. Many such incidents have been reported till now where Sikhs have been assaulted.

Mayor Alan Webber named the atrocity as “sickening and appalling”. He ensured stringent actions against the vandals as they are culprits as per law.

In a move to support the restaurant after its huge loss, multiple fund raiser campaigns have been started.

The New Mexican Restaurant Association issued a statement on Tuesday and said the association fully supports Singh, the owner and his staff “in this despicable crime”.

By Gayatri Yellayi