US: Man charged with hate crime over assaulting Indian-origin woman

The defendant allegedly subjected the woman to homophobic slurs before physically assaulting her.

The defendant faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

District Attorney Brown said, “Queens County is the most diverse county in the nation. It is home to many races, nationalities and sexual orientations. Crimes motivated by bias – particularly those involving violence – will never be tolerated in this county. When they do regrettably occur, they will be vigorously prosecuted and those involved will be severely punished."

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Allasheed Allah, 54, of 109 Street, New th York, New York. Allah is presently being held pending arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on charges of second- and third-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree aggravated harrassment.

If convicted, Allah faces three and one-half to 15 years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the charges, at approximately 5:10 p.m. on November 20, 2018, the victim, Avneet Kaur, 20, of 73 Street, Queens, was seated on a Manhattan rd bound E train when the defendant engaged her in a verbal dispute.

During the dispute, defendant Allah began making homophobic slurs towards Kaur and her friend.

As the two women began to walk away, defendant Allah followed them and struck Kaur in the back of her head and then once in her chest causing her to fall and strike her head and neck on a pole before hitting the floor.

According to the charges, the defendant admitted that he told her “not to kiss her again in front of me because she was disrespecting me with all that gay (expletive) she been doing. I stood up and told her kiss her again you dyke (expletive) and watch what happens. I pushed the girl, she turned around and then she fell.”

Kaur was immediately transported to a local Queens hospital where she underwent treatment for a fractured spine. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Barry M. Frankenstein, of the District Attorney’s Gang Violence and Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mariela Palomino Herring, Bureau Chief, and Michelle E. Goldstein, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials James C. Quinn and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials Laura M. Henigman. It should be noted that criminal charges are merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.