Sikh teen may have lied about an alleged racial assault

Petti Fong:

With no suspects and no witnesses in an alleged racial assault against an Indo-Canadian teenager who said he had his turban and hair hacked off by five attackers, Richmond RCMP say one possibility they're investigating is whether the boy cut his own hair.

Richmond RCMP Corporal Peter Thiessen said investigators have heard from members in the Sikh community that the teenager may have lied about the assault in order to defy his parents' expectations that his hair should remain uncut as a symbol of his faith.

"They feel the potential is there that this may be fabricated on the part of the young man," said Cpl. Thiessen yesterday "It hasn't been completely ruled out."

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