HOLLYWOOD: A 70-year-old Sikh man was brutally attacked outside a convenience store near the Sikh Gurdwara on Lankershim Boulevard and the Los Angeles police are investigating the apparent hate crime. Harpal Singh, a retired college mathematics professor originally from India and a US citizen, remains in critical condition at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center following the assault on August 4. Family members said he has undergone at least three surgeries to treat severe head and facial injuries, including brain bleeding and eye surgery. He remains unconscious and sedated in the ICU.
According to police, the attack occurred when Singh was struck violently with a golf club by a man riding a bicycle. A witness reported seeing the assault, but no clear suspect description has yet been released. Investigators have not confirmed if any security camera footage from the scene has been recovered. Singh was known as a quiet, devoted member of the local Sikh community who lived at the Lankershim Gurdwara, where he was known for his unstinting seva -serving langar meals and doing paath (reading the scriptures). A family source said he was so quiet it was hard to imagine anyone knowingly wanting to hurt him.
He was single, never married, and often seen grocery shopping or feeding birds at the park near the temple. His extended family of nephews, nieces, and siblings while deeply concerned by the attack, are focused on the recovery of Harpal Singh, a family member said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Sikh Coalition said, “This has deeply shaken our community.” It described the attack as an apparent hate-motivated incident and urged anyone with information to come forward.