On Wednesday morning, Patel was visiting his newborn grandson in Alabama and was hospitalized with a spinal injury after being pushed to the ground by a police officer in the city of Madison.

Patel, who was on his morning walk, was stopped by an officer responding to a report of a "suspicious person" in the neighborhood on Tuesday, AL.com reported.

The caller told police that a man, who he did not recognize, was walking onto driveways and looking into garages, the Madison Police Department said in a statement.

Sureshbhai Patel, who is from a small town in India, was on his second visit to the U.S. and was staying with his son, Chirag. He told AL.com that he had flown his father out so he could help care for his 17-month-old grandson.

Chirag Patel said this father was walking on the sidewalk, "minding his own business," when the police car showed up and asked him to stop. Patel, who does not speak English, told the officer, "No English," "Indian" and gave them his son's house number while pointing to the house, Chirag said.

The officer then pushed him to the ground, after which Patel's body was temporarily paralyzed. He was hospitalized with a spinal injury.

According to Madison police, "the subject did not appear to speak English and there was a communication barrier. The subject began putting his hands in his pockets. Officers attempted to pat the subject down and he attempted to pull away. The subject was forced to the ground, which resulted in injury."