(Image source from: Hindustan Times Punjabi News)
A 64-year-old Indian origin Sikh man from California was stabbed to death by an unidentified man while he was on his evening walk in Gretchen Talley Park in Tracy at around 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, according to a media report. He died from his injuries.
A passerby man spotted Paramjit Singh bleeding on the ground and immediately called 911. As police till yet don’t have any clear suspects, they launched a homicide investigation.
Police sought the help of the community to help to identifying a man captured on CCTV who can be seen jumping a fence and running away from the park around the time when the incident happened, according to the report.
“We just need to figure out who that is, why they were in the area, what they may have seen and potentially any of their involvement in the incident,” said Tracy Police Spokesperson Lt Trevin Freitas.
Some residents are worried Singh may have been attacked on grounds of hate crime but the police as of now refraining from considering it a hate crime.
“We can’t say what it was right now. We’re keeping all possibilities open. We have no information that would lead us to the motive of this crime. It is something that we can’t disprove at this time and we’re actively investigating all possibilities,” Freitas said.
Singh moved to Tracy from India three years and since then he was an active member of the Sikh community, said Harnek Singh Kang, the victim’s son-in-law.
“We feel very safe in the country, so whatever happened, this is unacceptable,” he said.
“Absolutely stunned. This is a very safe neighborhood, very decent area of Tracy,” neighbor Dave Roychowdhury said. “Nothing has ever happened like this here,” he said.
Tracy Mayor Robert Rickman in a statement said, “We take pride in our safe, close-knit community. The loss of one of our own to violence has shaken us to our core and is felt by the entire community. “On behalf of the Tracy City Council, we offer our sincerest condolences to Mr. Singh’s family, friends and to the members of our Sikh community. This violence will not be tolerated and we are dedicating every available resource to ensuring that the person(s) responsible for the death of Mr. Singh is brought to justice,” Rickman said.
The incident triggered shock among the Sikh community in the area. On that account, the mayor and police chief held an emergency meeting with the community to calm fears and answer their questions.
By Sowmya Sangam
