Washington, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A 21-year-old man in Helena, the capital of Montana, has been charged with malicious intimidation or harassment after allegedly shoving a man of Indian descent and telling him to “go back to his country”, according to court documents cited in local media reports.
Jaxton Tayte Collins appeared for arraignment on October 27 before the Lewis and Clark County District Court, the reports said.
According to an affidavit, the complainant told police he was walking with friends in downtown Helena when a man wearing an orange shirt and a large cross necklace approached his friend, who is of Indian descent and wears a head covering.
The man, later identified as Collins, allegedly shoved the victim with both hands and directed the racist remark at him. Witnesses described the incident as frightening and called it an attack, the report said.
When additional officers arrived, they found Collins nearby. According to the affidavit, Collins told police he had been drinking at a downtown bar and admitted shouting at the victim to return to his own country because he was angry. He denied shoving the man.
Montana law criminalises malicious intimidation or harassment motivated by factors including race, religion, colour or national origin when the conduct meets specified legal criteria, such as causing bodily injury or creating a reasonable fear of bodily injury.
A conviction under Section 45-5-221 of the Montana Code Annotated can carry a prison term of up to five years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
The charge is an allegation, and Collins is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The case comes amid reports of incidents targeting people of Indian and South Asian origin in the United States. Community groups have linked some such incidents to anti-immigrant rhetoric. Montana has a relatively small Indian American population.
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