Karanveer Singh Pannu is an American Sikh teenager who has authored a book on how Sikh children are bullied.
He was returning from one of his talks at the annual Sikh Youth Symposium and Sikh Peace Parade in California when he was forced to remove his turban by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel at Meadow Field Airport in California on Sunday night.
He told NBC News that after going through the metal detector, he was asked to do a self-pat down of his turban. He was also asked to do a chemical swab test for explosive material.
After a positive swab test, he was taken to another room to be given a full pat down and was asked to remove his turban.
"I refused at first but when they threatened me that I could not fly, I agreed, provided they gave me a mirror to re-tie my turban," Pannu said.
"Before I removed my turban, Agent Hernandez asked the dreaded asinine question, 'Is there anything we need to be aware of before you remove your turban?' I politely answered that there is a lot of long hair and something called the brain underneath."
Pannu said he felt "utterly humiliated, shaken, distraught" by the experience.
NBC News reported that that the TSA declined to comment on the specifics of the incident but added that all TSA officers and contracted screeners are trained to treat all passengers with dignity and respect and receive periodic training regarding cultural and religious sensitivities.
