Sikh Indian-American helped capture US bombings suspect

Harinder Bains has been hailed as a hero after he informed police having found Rahami sleeping in the doorway of his bar.

Harinder Bains Source: CNN

Harinder Bains, the owner of a bar in Linden has earned admiration from the community for helping in the arrest of the New York bombing suspect.

The Indian-American is being hailed as a hero after he informed the police about the 28-year-old Afghan-American, Ahmad Khan Rahami wanted for the weekend bombings in New York and New Jersey.

Bains found Rahami sleeping in the doorway of his bar on Monday. At first, he thought it was some drunk guy resting but then he recognised Rahami and immediately called the cops.

Bar owner who spotted NY & NJ bombings suspect speaks out: It "shocked me" https://t.co/oZz0jUmo8i https://t.co/jQ1RcgnBeN — CNN (@CNN) September 20, 2016

“I’m just a regular citizen doing what every citizen should do. Cops are the real heroes, law enforcement are the real heroes,” said Bains.

Bar owner who spotted bombings suspect: "I'm not a hero. I'm just a regular citizen. ... Cops are the real heroes" https://t.co/tIO5FHBTFR — CNN (@CNN) September 20, 2016

Eyewitness video shows injured bombing suspect being loaded into an ambulance in NJ https://t.co/tHXT6BFEyO pic.twitter.com/I8yqup3pyS — CNN (@CNN) September 19, 2016

In a statement, the National Sikh Campaign said this was a brave and courageous act by Bains.

“A Sikh helps police get to the terrorist involved in New York and New Jersey bombing over the weekend,” it said.

“He heroically helped save many innocent lives and yet gave credit to law enforcement officers. Harinder Bains certainly did what every responsible citizen in America ought to do. Brave and courageous act!” said the National Sikh Campaign.

Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra told news agency PTI that Bains “dared to honour his Oath of Citizenship to protect & defend the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic -and it’s turns out that the Chelsea Pressure Cooker Bomber suspect, a naturalised citizen, is caught by another immigrant, an Indian-American Hero-Sikh.”Rahami opened fire at the police as officers approached him, hitting an officer in the chest. He was shot multiple times as officers retaliated. He was then arrested and taken to a hospital for surgery.

For more news and updates, follow SBS Punjabi on Facebook.