First Turbaned Sikh Cop killed in Texas; India says 'Deeply Grieved'

Texas : Sandeep Dhaliwal, a 42-year-old Indian-American Sikh police officer has reportedly been shot dead during a mid-day traffic stop in US State of Texas. He was the first-ever turbaned Sikh cop to serve Texas.  After joining the force he became a national figure as he managed to convince his department to allow him to wear religious attire and grow a beard while on patrol. 

According to the police officials, he stopped a vehicle with a man and a woman, one of them got out of the vehicle and shot him 'ambush-style' at least twice in a "ruthless, cold-blooded way". Later, the shooter ran away to a nearby shopping centre.

The cops searched and arrested the shooted Robert Solis and “charged with the capital murder”. The authorities are now investigating if it was a case of hate crime. Dhaliwal was shot multiple times on the head.

Reacting over the incident Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said, "Deeply grieved to learn of the shooting of Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, a Sikh Indian-American officer in Houston, USA. We have just visited that city. My condolences to his family."

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a close friend of Dhaliwal said that the entire Texas police department is ‘heartbroken to lose a hero, a leader in this violent tragic manner’.

"He was a hero, a trailblazer. There are no words to speak to how heartbroken we are, how devastated," he added.