Mohamed Zaman Amin holds a hand to his bloodied head after his attacker struck him with a trophy. It took seven staples to close the wound at the Jamaica Hospital Trauma Center. Facebook Photo
Video footage may have cast an unexpected light on what initially appeared to be an incident likely eligible for hate crime classification, The Forum has learned.
Mohamed Zaman Amin, 28, was taken to Jamaica Hospital after police arrived to break up a violent melee that erupted at the Players Lounge and Restaurant at 129-06 Liberty Avenue on Sunday night around 9 p.m.
Amin was part of a group of members from the Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender (LGBT) community in attendance at the lounge for a Duck Curry Cook-off, a popular competitive event that draws crowds at many venues in the Indo-Caribbean community.
Statements from witnesses indicate that the incident began to unfold inside the lounge after the emcee of the event asked all the gay people in the house to raise their hands. Police sources say some of the LGBT patrons were allegedly so offended by the statements that a verbal altercation ensued, but it resolved itself fairly quickly.
But only about 15 minutes later when the winners were being announced, a second verbal exchange took place, this time reportedly initiated by a statement from one of the Aman Tasso Drummers, a group hired to play for the event. Witnesses say that the man began spouting anti-gay slurs which triggered an angry reaction among the crowd, causing the action to spill out onto the street.
Naresh Bhagarattie, a performer in the Aman Tassa group, is, according to police sources, the man eyewitnesses have identified as Zaman Amin’s assailant. He is seen here at a lounge, guzzling rum from a bottle, an action which police point out is illegal. Facebook Photo
It was during a physical exchange outside that Zaman Amin suffered a blow to the head resulting in a laceration that required seven staple stitches to close. Amin maintained in statements he posted on Facebook that his attacker targeted him because of his homosexuality. “Last night I was attack because I am GAY at Players Bar and Restaurant in Queens NY, by members of the Aman Tassa Group…,” he wrote. The 28-year-old dancer/actor, who is also known as drag queen Sundari Indian Goddess, went on to tell followers on Facebook that he was out of the hospital, “even more strong now then ever and ready to take this community and fight for my LBGTQ people rights.” Amin finished out his Facebook statements by saying that he had exclusive video of the hateful act and asked people to help put an end to hate crimes and violence.
But video footage obtained by police from Players Lounge has served to present a different perspective that investigators are now looking at. It shows Zaman Amin and his brother Mohamed Q. Amin, also openly gay, leaving the club with a group of approximately 8-10 friends and the Tassa musician. Although no discernible audio track for the video was available, the three men were clearly engaged in heated debate.
The footage shows the crowd all at once turning on the drummer, identified by police sources as Naresh Bhagarattie. It shows the second place cook-off winner emerge holding his trophy and subsequently engage in physical contact with Bhagarattie with it. It was then that the drummer grabbed the trophy from winner Anoop Pandohie, and swung at Zaman, striking him in the head.
The Aman Tassa Group of drummers was performing at the event. One of the drummers has been identified as the man who struck Zaman Amin with the trophy and split his head. The man allegedly identified is seen in this photo at the far left side in the back row. Facebook Photo
It is now up to investigators to determine if they can give prosecutors sufficient evidence to prove there was hateful intent behind the attack and classify it as a hate crime or if the footage of the events outside the club which show the drummer under attack is enough to dispel the notion that the attack was motivated by hatred for members of the LBGT community.
A rally to support Zaman has been announced by several organizations in the Indo Caribbean community and will be held outside the Players Lounge on Thursday evening, June 27 between 7 and 9 p.m.
The Indo-Caribbean Alliance is one of the rally sponsors and its director, Richard David, said the rally extends beyond this incident. “This is in response to a lot of violence that has been happening in these bars and nightclubs and restaurants,” David said. “We want there to be increased awareness of LGBT rights. We want people to demand businesses to create a safer environment for their customers and we want justice for Zaman”.
Sources at the NYPD say that violence in these type of establishments has become increasingly prevalent, citing the recent incidents at the nearby Level Lounge, six blocks away on 123rd Street and Liberty Avenue, where several altercations, including one where a female patron was drugged and subsequently raped, have become dangerously commonplace. Department sources also say that although live entertainment and dancing are prohibited in locations without a cabaret license, both are a regular part of the offerings in establishments who do not have the required licensing.
According to Community Affairs Officer Kenneth Zorn of the 106th Precinct, additional police personal will be assigned from downtown and from Queens Borough South to man the rally on Thursday evening.
No arrests have been made as of press time.
By Patricia Adams
