- A Sikh youth in B.C. has apologized for inventing a story
of being set upon by a group of white men who cut his hair.
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- The 17-year-old from Richmond, a Vancouver suburb, admitted
to police he made up the story.
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- Police had already been suspicious, because the attack,
which had been alleged to have occurred in broad daylight on May 26, had
generated no tips from the public.
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- "He had fabricated the entire incident," RCMP
Cpl. Peter Thiessen told reporters Saturday.
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- "The injuries that we observed on him that required
medical attention were self-inflicted," he said.
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- The youth had claimed the five men stopped their basketball
game, pulled off his turban and cut his long hair with a utility knife.
Hair is considered sacred by Sikhs.
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- But the youth merely wanted to cut his hair but was afraid
to deal with his parents.
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- "... His hair was hanging out, so it looked like
he was attacked," said Sheldon D'Cruz, a friend of the youth who came
upon him minutes after the hoax.
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- Sikh leaders denounced the attack, but when the hoax
was revealed, were largely silent.
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- Some Sikhs expressed annoyance with the youth, saying
it cast their faith in a bad light.
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- In a statement released Friday night, the boy said he
didn't realize this incident would blow up the way it did: "My sincere
apologies to my family, friends, the RCMP and overall community -- whose
feelings I have hurt in this whole ordeal. I have to work very hard to
rebuild the trust I lost."
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- Thiessen said the case is being reviewed to decide if
a criminal charge should be laid against the youth.
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- With a report from CTV's Tomasia DaSilva
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- http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CT
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