Starvation Death of Sikh Priest Sparks Outrage in Community

[Kathy]

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_...e995f32944b674

Starvation Death of Sikh Priest Sparks Outrage in Community
India Post, News Report,
J. S. Bedi, Apr 02, 2004

LOS ANGELES: In mid February, 72-year-old Khem Singh passed away at the Substance Abuse Facility at Corcoran State prison. Crippled and bound to a wheelchair, he died of lung and heart failure brought on as a result of starvation. Fellow inmates repeatedly alerted the authorities about his condition but allegedly no action was taken.

One inmate wrote a letter to Sen. Gloria Romero (D. Los Angeles) begging for her intervention but it arrived a few days late. Khem Singh died on Feb 16. In his letter the inmate accused a prison guard of brutalizing the frail old man. The letter spoke of how Khem Singh committed slow suicide. His weight dropped from about 115 pounds to under 80.

Senator Romero, who is the Chairperson of the Corrections Oversight Committee, visited Corcoran to review medical and other related documents. She also spoke to the inmates, including the letter writer, who shared the cellblock with Khem Singh. The matter is under investigation and hopefully those responsible of any wrongdoing will be brought to justice.

Khem Singh was the Head Granthi (a Sikh priest) at the Modesto gurudwara. He was relieved of his post as a result of internal politics. He however continued to provide religious and spiritual education to Sikh children in the area. It was during this period that he was accused of inappropriate behavior with a child. In June 2001, Khem Singh, then almost 70-years old, handicapped by a bad leg and suffering from other ailments, was sentenced to 27 years life in prison.

Till the end Khem Singh said he was innocent and had been set up and framed- a theory that people in the Modesto Turlock area tend to believe.

India Post spoke to a number of people from that religion including Baljit Kaur, Khem Singh's wife. She maintained her husband was innocent and had been framed by certain individuals. All this was a result of the local gurudwara politics. "In his entire career there was never ever an occasion where anybody could point fingers at him. He was widely respected and was known for his kindness," she said. Similar sentiments were echoed from elsewhere as well. Baljit Kaur accused the prison authorities of brutalizing her husband. During her visits to Corcoran she was made to wait for over two hours before her husband was brought out.

He always complained of harassment. Khem Singh would tell her about how the prison guards would throw beef in his food which he would not eat because of his religious beliefs. They would kick him when he sat down to eat. They even tore up his little prayer book (the Gutka). His wife sent him another one which also met the same fate. Baljit Kaur said she sent him money which never reached him. “The check was cashed but my husband never got the money" she said.

She also stated that guards would refuse to allow him to meet his family unless he consented to a strip search - something that the elderly priest considered very demeaning and humiliating. He would always talk of his fear of one particular guard who took great pleasure in brutalizing him.

Other inmates also confirmed that it was out of fear of this guard that Khem Singh refused to leave his cell. Other revelations by the late priest's wife are equally disturbing. "Guards would constantly threaten to cut his hair and shave off his beard," she said. Sikhs are not supposed to cut their hair. She also said that immediately after 9/11 one guard slammed a chair on Khem Singh- splitting his head open.

This proves that there is a strong element of racism in Corcoran, and perhaps all the prisons in California. India Post spoke to Kelly Santoro Public Information Officer at the Substance Abuse Facility in Corcoran. She denied that Singh was neglected but said that the medical records were under investigation. In fact to all queries she said they were under investigation.

Balkar Singh, a Modesto-based businessman, described Khem Singh as ‘very nice, gentle and soft spoken.' He said there is no way Khem Singh would do what he was accused of. “To my mind, this was a total mistrial, and I believe that an innocent man was lynched. I have known the family for many years and there is no way that S. Khem Singh would do what he was accused of" he declared.

According to Balkar, Khem Singh was well respected. This was evident at his funeral where a large crowd showed up to pay their respects. The ongoing litigation had left the family broke. Avtar Singh Dosanj, owner of Valley Transport, (a trucking company) raised over $ 7000 to cover funeral expenses. This, again, goes to suggest that the elderly Khem Singh was a victim of conspiracy. "He knew something much to the discomfort of a few individuals and they wanted him out of the way," said a Modesto resident on condition of anonymity. Balkar Singh has vowed to pursue the matter till all responsible for this tragedy are brought to justice. “An entire family has been ruined and I will leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of the whole matter," he declared.

We will never know what secrets S. Khem Singh has taken with him to the world beyond. It is however a horrible tragedy and the way S Khem Singh allowed himself to starve does suggest that the unfortunate man was protesting his innocence. No doubt, he was unfamiliar with the system and lacked the means to hire good attorneys. Perhaps, in death he has been put out of his misery.

However it does not end here. Khem Singh's arrest came as a big shock to his family. His wife Baljit Kaur suffered a massive heart attack and had to undergo surgery. Tragically their son Jaskirat, 28 has been paralyzed from a stroke. The family is in desperate need of financial assistance. To contribute please write a check to Baljit Kaur and mail it to P.O. Box 4503, Modesto, Ca-95352.

Various organizations have condemned the negligence of the prison authorities. S. Kirtan Singh Khalsa of the Guru Ram Dass Ashram demanded a full investigation. "We are watching closely the outcome of the investigation conducted by Sen. Gloria Romero, Martin Hoshino and Patrick Hart."

Likewise the Sikh Mediawatch And Research Taskforce has also voiced its concern over the issue and is in touch with lawmakers in California with a demand to a full inquiry into the matter. 'Specifically, we will be asking the AG to file criminal charges against anyone who is determined to have abused, mistreated or violated Khem Singh's civil rights" the organization said in a written statement.

The World Sikh Council, based in Columbus, Ohio has also condemned the incident and called for a thorough inquiry into the matter.
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