First turbaned Sikh police officer of USA shot dead in Texas

Sandeep Dhaliwal, who was granted a religious exemption to wear a turban as part of his uniform, was shot at least twice from behind on his head by one of the passengers travelling in a car he stopped.

Dhaliwal, who had been in the service for the last 10 years, was the deputy sheriff of Harris County,

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the veteran police officer was shot “ambush style” in a "ruthless, cold-blooded way".

The police have arrested one Robert Solis, a 47-year-old suspect based on the CCTV footage.

It is not yet clear if the killing was a hate crime.

India has reacted to the killing with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar condoling the Indian American Sikh officer. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid tribute to the Indian-American, "Deeply grieved to learn of the shooting of Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, a Sikh Indian-American officer in Houston. We have just visited that city. My condolences to his family.”

"Officer Dhaliwal was the first Sikh in Texas to wear his turban while on duty. Earlier today, he was tragically shot and killed in the line of duty. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fellow officers. Rest In Peace, Sandeep," Mr Cornyn wrote on his twitter handle.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also paid condolence to the fallen cop. "The killing of Harris Co Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal is especially saddening. A groundbreaking member of law enforcement who patrolled while wearing the outward signs of his Sikh faith, put his religion's imperative of selfless service on display for all to see," he tweeted.

Image Credit: twitter.com/sheriffed_HCSO