Racism Hits a New Low | 12-Year-Old Sikh Boy Arrested in a Joke

Armaan Singh Sarai was kept behind the bars for three days, before being released on Monday, Armaan's cousin Ginee Haer wrote in a Facebook post this week.

“A bully in class thought it would be funny to accuse him (Armaan Singh Sarai) of having a bomb, and so the principal, without any questioning, interrogation, or notification to his parents, called the police,” Armaan Sarai’s cousin Ginee Haer wrote on Facebook (post below).

Armaan Singh Sarai, a student at Nichols Junior High School in Arlington with a heart condition, was arrested and jailed for three days based on a bully’s accusation that he had a bomb in his backpack. Nichols principal Julie Harcrow immediately called police, who searched Armaan’s backpack and determined there was no bomb. Despite that fact, Armaan was detained for three days at a juvenile detention facility. Neither police nor the school informed Armaan’s parents where he was being held.

Armaan’s parents got worried about him last Friday when he did not return from school. They approached police in the area and came to know that he was sent to a juvenile facility, she said.

However, according to the Arlington police, Armaan told his bully that he had a bomb in his backpack, which police say he later admitted to falsely claiming.

“People have got to learn they cannot make these types of threats which cause alarm, which cause evacuations,” Arlington Police Department spokesman Lt. Christopher Cook told the Dallas Morning News. “Just because you say it’s a joke, it doesn’t get you out of trouble.”

He was released on Monday, Ms Haer wrote in the post shared by thousands of people.

“Armaan was born and raised in Texas by a loving Sikh family. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his family, watching tv, and playing video games,” the post read.

“In his family are his mom, dad, two sisters and a brother who love him more than life, after all he’s the baby in the family,” said the post.

“His family moved to Dallas, Texas about three to four months ago, and being the new kid wasn’t that easy for him. It made it especially hard since he is not able to get out much, due to a heart condition he was born with,” Armaan’s cousin wrote.

He cannot do a lot of extra-curricular activities. But his love for family and friends has always been enough to keep his heart filled. They would describe him really funny, nice, and a caring human being, she informed.

This goofball on the left in this picture is my 12 year old cousin, Armaan Singh Sarai. He was born and raised in Texas…

Posted by Ginee Haer on Tuesday, December 15, 2015

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