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A Newtown High School student was convicted last week of felony hate crime charges for forcing a Sikh student to remove his traditional religious headdress and cutting his hair.

Umair Ahmed, 18, of Elmhurst, was convicted after a jury trial of second-degree menacing as a hate crime, second-degree coercion as a hate crime, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree harassment. He faces up to four years in prison when he is sentenced on April 11.

Queens DA Richard Brown said Ahmed, who was indicted by a grand jury last September, was found guilty “of a serious attack on the fundamental beliefs of his victim’s religion and his freedom to worship freely. Crimes of hate will never be tolerated here in Queens County – in particular the most culturally diverse county in the nation.”

According to the evidence, Ahmed first approached Harpal Vacher, 15, inside of Newtown’s lunchroom and threatened him with bodily harm after school if Vacher didn’t comply and go to the bathroom to have Ahmed cut his hair.

Ahmed then obtained a pair of folding scissors, took Vacher into the bathroom and ordered him to remove his dastar, or turban. Vacher acquiesced in fear and Ahmed then cut his hair.

According to United Sikhs, the unshorn hair of Sikhs is an article of faith and is obligatory for a Sikh to keep at all times.

“Cutting a Sikh’s hair is an attack, not only on a Sikh as a person, but also an attack on their faith,” said Jaspreet Singh, staff attorney for United Sikhs.

Ahmed’s attorney, Bruce Maffeo, did not return calls seeking comment.

Ahmed’s trial and conviction come on the heels of an attack on a Sikh in the area in January. David Wood, 36, of Floral Park, is currently out on $10,000 bail after being charged with second-degree assault as a hate crime, second- and third-degree assault and second-degree aggravated harassment for allegedly shouting racial slurs at a 63-year-old Sikh man and beating him and breaking his nose and jaw in New Hyde Park. Wood’s next court date is scheduled for April 24.