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WASHINGTON: Agitated over purported police brutality on an elderly Indian in the United States, the Indian community and concerned citizens have raised over $125,000 to cover his medical expenses, while the cop who allegedly assaulted him was released from custody on Friday on a $1,000 bond. Officer Eric Parker has been charged with third degree assault , which is a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama, rating up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000. Under state law, a person commits third-degree assault if he or she “recklessly causes physical injury to another person”. The Madison police in the jurisdiction where the incident took place has also said Parker will be sacked.In police videos shot from a patrol car dashcam, Parker is seen brutally tripping Patel, 57, causing him to fall face down on the asphalt sidewalk, after stopping him in response to a call from a neighbour reporting the Indian for suspicious loitering.The community — and concerned American citizens — has now put its money where its mouth is, raising $125,588 (at the time of writing) for Patel’s medical expenses against an initial target of $25,000 that was later raised to $100,000. From four anonymous donations of $1,000 each, people have contributed as little as $10 in an unprecedented show of support for Patel, who is said to be uninsured although he came to America on a green card by virtue of his son’s citizenship.Lawmakers and rights activists alike have expressed concern about the rise of aggressive policing all across the US, highlighted by incidents such as the one in Ferguson, Cleveland, New York, and now Alabama.“Moving forward, we must come together as a nation to tackle the very real issues our minority communities face, and to rebuild trust and understanding among law enforcement agencies and the diverse communities that they serve,” Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera said on Friday, expressing sympathy for Patel.“We have a reason to be concerned over this and other incidents that may be directed towards the Muslim and South Asian community,” his New York colleague Grace Meng said. “Americans have a responsibility to raise their voice and condemn bigotry when & wherever it occurs,” he added.