Raj Singh, also known as Goldy, a Sikh musician from Uttar Pradesh, India, was tragically killed in a shooting incident outside a gurdwara in Selma, Alabama, on Saturday, February 24. The incident has sparked concerns within the Sikh community and raised questions about the safety of the Indian diaspora in the United States.

Goldy, who hailed from Tanda Sahuwala village in Bijnor district, was part of a Sikh kirtan group and had been in the US with his musical ensemble for the past one and a half years. He was standing outside the gurdwara when unidentified assailants fatally shot him in the abdomen. His family received the devastating news of his death the following day.

Family expresses anguish 

Gurdeep Singh, Goldy's brother-in-law, expressed the family's anguish over the incident, stating, "We were informed about the incident by relatives. It has been five days, and his postmortem is yet to be done." He further added, "We have appealed to our government for justice and the arrest of the killers."

A hate crime?

While the precise motive behind Goldy's murder remains unclear, his family believes it could be a hate crime. However, Selma police have indicated that there is no evidence of racial motivation behind the killing, according to local news outlet GVWire.

This tragic incident marks the second murder of an Indian-origin individual in Alabama in the month of February. Previously, Pravin Raojibhai Patel, a 76-year-old American hotelier of Indian descent, was shot dead after a confrontation with a man seeking accommodation in his motel in Sheffield, Alabama.

Goldy's untimely demise has left his family devastated, as he was the sole provider for his mother, two sisters, and younger brother following his father's passing. His family has urged the Indian government to assist in repatriating his body to India for cremation.

The shooting of Goldy outside the gurdwara has sent shockwaves through the Indian community in the United States, raising concerns about the safety and security of Indian nationals in US.