Dr Waqar "Vic" Ahmed's shop in Pahrump, Nevada, was spray painted with graffiti in what is now being investigated as a hate crime.
Ahmed said he has heard the taunts before and experienced attacks on his Indian heritage and Muslim faith in the past, but never anything quite like this.
The Nye County Sheriff's office said the hateful graffiti was discovered last Sunday in front of the shop.
"I had a guy tell me once to go back to my third world country. I had to tell him what India was," Ahmed was quoted as saying by KSNV-TV.
No suspects have been identified but they could face charges for malicious destruction of property.
"I hate to think that kind of thing is going on in Nye County and we're going to do everything we possibly can to stop it, if it does," Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly was quoted as saying by KTNV-TV.
"They say stuff like this to me and it makes my blood boil because I am none of those things," Ahmed said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the vandalism and said the Muslim business owner and his family have been targeted for more than a month.
Ahmed said he received harassing phone calls about his race and religion about a month ago. He did file a restraining order against that caller, but it has since expired.
The Nye County Sheriff's Office has a team of five investigators looking into the potential hate crime. If they find it to be a hate crime, they will turn the investigation over to the FBI.
Now, he said the plan is to clean up and continue his work.
"I know there's hatred. It's fed by ignorance. Educated people treat me just fine," he said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
