Indian Muslim Council-USA condemns attack on Indian student

July 2, 2003

Indian Muslim Council-USA, a Washington based advocacy group working toward safeguarding Indian society’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, condemned the recent attack on an Indian student in New Bedford, MA.

According to news reports, Mr. Saurabh Bhalerao, an Indian student at the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth was robbed, beaten and burned by four attackers while delivering a pizza to a neighborhood address. Investigators believe the attack was racially motivated and the suspects mistook Mr. Bhalerao, who is Hindu, for a Muslim.

Dr. Shaik Ubaid, President of IMC-USA, offered his condolence to Mr. Bhalerao and urged the State police to investigate this incident as a hate crime. Dr. Ubaid also said ” It is ironic that extremist Hindutva websites have been in the fore front of spreading hatred against Islam and Muslims. This hatred has now caused a non-Muslim Indian to suffer. I urge all people, especially of Indian origin to come together, just as they did for the first IMC-USA annual convention on June 28, to fight religious and racial hatred,” he said.

Dr. Ubaid further requested that people donate to the recovery fund that has been set up by the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth.

Donations:
Saurabh Bhalerao Recovery Fund,
C/o UMass Dartmouth Foundation
285 Old Westport Road;
Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300

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Indian Muslim Council-USA
Office of the President
265 Sunrise Highway
Suite 1-355
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Tel#(516) 567-0783
E-mail:info@imc-usa.org