Sikh man arrested and accused of carrying weapon at JFK Airport

QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) -- A Sikh man was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport after police accused him of carrying a weapon.

23-year-old yellow cab driver Ruppenjot Singh recalled the Friday evening encounter at the airport that he and his supporters describe as an exercise in religious intolerance.

At issue is the small dagger, or “Kirpan” that Ruppenjot and other followers of the Sikh faith are required to carry on their person along with several other religious articles.

"He just saw the Kirpan and called the cops on me. I told them this is my religion and I can't remove it from my body," said Singh.

Singh says his trouble started on the Terminal 4 passenger pick-up line where he says one of the airport’s dispatchers singled him out as soon as he stepped out of his vehicle.

He says when he spoke up for himself, the dispatcher then called the police.

Singh also alleges the dispatcher lied when he told responding Port Authority police officers that he had tried to stab the dispatcher with his Kirpan.  

"If the video comes out, everything will be cleared. I never did nothing. I never took out my Kirpan. I never tried to stab him. They just arrest...