From Lalit K Jha
Washington

The family of the 57-year-old Indian man, who has been left partially paralysed after a police officer allegedly assaulted him in the US, today filed a lawsuit with many rights organisations terming the incident as “police brutality” and “racial profiling”.

“We are suing the city of Madison (in Alabama) and two unidentified police officers for stopping and assaulting Sureshbhai Patel without any basis,” Henry F Sherrod, the attorney for the Patel family, told PTI over phone from Alabama after filing the lawsuit.

“I do not know, whether it is racial profiling or not. It certainly looks that way,” he said when asked if the assault on Patel was a racial attack.

Several Indian-American organisations and rights bodies not only condemned the brutality against Patel, who was visiting his son in Alabama, but also demanded action against the police official?whose aggression last week has left him paralysed.

Patel had arrived in the United States two weeks ago to assist his son and daughter-in-law in caring for their 17-month-old child, who was developmentally delayed after a premature birth.

According to the 11-page lawsuit, on the morning of February 6 while walking down the sidewalk in the neighbourhood, Patel, a permanent US resident, “was violently assaulted by a police official without provocation, and left partially paralysed.”

“We are seeking that Patel be fully compensated. This law suit is about getting the truth out what happened to him,” Sherrod said.

“There are good reasons to question the accuracy of the City’s account,” the lawsuit said, referring to the statement by the city police that it responded to a call from a neighbour describing Patel as suspicious and claiming he was looking into garages.

“The City’s refusal to provide a recording or other documentation of the call or identify the caller is one,” it said and alleged that the police department is trying to put the blame on Patel rather than on the officers.According to the lawsuit, the search was “unnecessary and illegal.”

The family alleged that after the search, without provocation, the police official allegedly grabbed Patel’s left arm, twisted it behind his back, and slammed his face first into the ground.

“This use of force was unnecessary and excessive. Patel’s face was bloodied, but, much worse, there was significant trauma to Patel’s cervical spine, and he immediately became paralysed in his arms and legs,” the lawsuit said.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that Consulate Genral in Atlanta was in touch with police authorities and will provide all assistance.

“Consulate General in Atlanta in touch with Madison police chief and providing all necessary consular assistance,” he said.

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