Thousands of people from all walks of life turned out for the day-long ceremonies here on Wednesday to honour slain Indian-American police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was shot dead on duty during a traffic stop.
Dhaliwal, 42, was the first Sikh sheriff’s deputy in Harris County with a population of over 10,000 Sikhs. He made national headlines when he was allowed to grow a beard and wear a turban on the job.
He was gunned down while conducting a routine mid-day traffic stop in northwest of Houston on Friday.
The fallen deputy’s funeral included processions, a traditional Sikh funeral and a law enforcement funeral with a 21-gun salute from fellow officers and a helicopter flyover.
As ‘Amazing Grace’ was played on the bagpipes, members of Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) folded the American flag that covered his casket and Sheriff Ed Gonzalez presented it to Dhaliwal’s widow who clutched it to her heart.