Sikh student detained by Secret Service
BC leader says beard, turban triggered stop
By Ralph Ranalli, Globe Staff | July 30, 2004

A Boston College student leader who wears a turban and full beard in accord with his Sikh religion says he was detained and interrogated for seven hours Saturday night by Secret Service agents for doing nothing more than taking photographs of the campus.

Sundeep Sahni, a senior with a double major in computer science and finance, said the Secret Service agents, who were staying on campus during the Democratic National Convention, suggested that he was a criminal, searched him and his car for weapons and bombs, and even had him sign a release form during the ordeal that gave them access to his psychiatric records.

Sahni, 21, said he believes he was singled out because of his appearance. At one point during the searches, he said, an agent told him: "I don't want you pulling an Uzi from your turban."

"It was the most humiliating experience of my life," Sahni said.

Boston College officials said they are giving Sahni their full support and are attempting to arrange a meeting between the student and the Secret Service.

"We want to arrange a conversation, which we hope will result in an apology," said Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn.

A Secret Service spokesman, however, said there will be no such meeting or apology.