Indian American charged with hate crime over racist attack on fellow Indian in California Taco Bell

An Indian American man has been charged with a hate crime after subjecting a fellow Indian American to racial abuse, calling him a “dirty Hindu” and a “disgusting dog.”

Krishnan Jayaraman was at a Taco Bell at Grimmer Boulevard in Fremont, California, on Aug. 21 when a 37-year-old man named Singh Tejinder began verbally abusing him.

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According to the Fremont Police Department, Tejinder was charged Monday with a hate crime in violation of civil rights, assault and disturbing the peace by offensive language. In the charging documents, he is listed as “Asian/Indian.”

Jayaraman managed to capture the eight-minute attack on video, in which Tejinder can be heard saying: “You’re disgusting, dog. You look nasty. Don’t come out in public like this again.”

During the tirade, Tejinder called Jayaraman a “dirty Hindu” and yelled “beef!” after insinuating that Jayaraman didn’t eat meat. In the clip, Tejinder can be seen spittingt at Jayaraman twice.

“You were the ones when the East India Company came, you were the ones to kneel first. Your people were the ones to put your head down, b*tch!” Tejinder went on.

Jayaraman realized that his attacker might also be of Indian descent after hearing him use Hindi and Punjabi towards the end of his rant.

“F*ck Indira Gandhi, n*gga,” Tejinder can be heard saying at one point in the video, referencing the female Indian prime minister assassinated in 1984 by Sikh nationalists.

Instead of engaging his attacker, Jayaraman decided to call the police and sit in silence after receiving his order. Fremont police officers arrive at the end of the clip.

The incident happened just days after four Indian American women were similarly harassed by a Mexican American in Texas. The woman, identified as Esmeralda Upton, told the women they are “ruining” America and should “go back to India.” Upton has since been arrested.

Tejinder, who is currently not in custody, has been placed on probation with a petition to revoke the probation.

“A court date has been set where the suspect will be held to answer for the above listed on-view charges,” the Fremont Police Department said in a press release.

Featured Image via Kn Jn

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