Sikh man attacked in possible hate crime in NYC: police officers

An elderly Sikh man was beaten in an unprovoked attack in Queens that police are considering a hate crime, authorities said.

The 70-year-old victim – identified by WABC as Nirmal Singh – was walking along 95th Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill around 7am Sunday when the attacker punched him in the nose, causing pain and bleeding, police officers said .

The attacker did not say a word and fled after the attack, police said.

Singh was taken to a local hospital for a check-up, police said.

Authorities confirmed that the incident was being investigated as a hate crime.

Singh – who was still wearing his bloodied jacket and speaking in his native Punjabi – told WABC on Sunday that the suspect attacked him from behind.

He was only in the country for two weeks on a visitor’s visa, the outlet reported.

Viewer Gurinder Singh told the station he witnessed the aftermath of the attack.

“We have grandfathers and stuff and we see a person that elderly getting attacked and bloody and he was concerned,” he said.

Community activist Japneet Singh told the outlet that members of the local community – particularly those wearing turbans – have been victims of hate crimes.

“People approach us a certain way because of how we look,” he said.