Sikh man 'cannot become guard because of beard'

A Sikh man cannot become a prison guard as his beard means he cannot be fitted for a statutory issue gas mask, California's Attorney General has argued.

Kamala Harris said religious beliefs were not enough to overcome a corrections department ban on beards.

She argued in a court filing on January 6 that Trilochan Oberoi could not be properly fitted for a gask mask if he kept the facial hair required by his religion.

No exceptions have been granted since the policy took effect in 2004, Miss Harris said, citing the testimony of a corrections department official. She is asking that Mr Oberoi's lawsuit be dismissed at an April 19 hearing.  More...    PrisonerPal.com



Civil rights organisations have sent a letter to Miss Harries asking her to reconsider her opposition.