Chilliwack Mounties are asking the author of a number of overtly racist emails aimed at the South Asian community to come forward.

The owners of two local Indian restaurants, Shandhar Hut and The Bay Leaf, got the same anonymous email last week that insulted their food and said "we do not like the presence of East Indians in our towns or schools."

Chilliwack Taxi also received a racist email last week but didn't report it to police until news reports surfaced about the restaurants.

While it is unclear that any crime has been committed, Chilliwack RCMP are investigating and have consulted with the BC Hate Crimes Unit.

Chilliwack Taxi general manager Kuldeep Singh received an email saying the company needs to stop hiring East Indians to drive cabs.

"Not only are you losing out on customers (and I do know a great deal of people that refuse your service and would rather walk or take public transportation) but you are giving these people a reason to migrate to Chilliwack," said the writer.

Singh said he didn't take the email seriously until he learned that other businesses had similar messages specific to South Asians.

"It is offensive and scary," Singh told the Times. "I have my family and children here and we are concerned about these kinds of racist things."

Two days after the Chilliwack Taxi email, the same email address was the source of a hateful email directed at the owners of Chilliwack's only two Indian food restaurants.

The Bay Leaf owner Sumit Gulati contacted the police, who contacted the letter writer. Gulati then received three more email messages in which the anonymous writer said he or she was sorry and had mental health issues.

Gulati said he has also recently had eggs thrown at his house and chicken bones dumped on his doorstep. All men involved, however, said racism in Chilliwack is very rare in their experience.

Mounties want to find out who is behind the emails.

"The Chilliwack RCMP would like to speak to the author of these emails and are asking him or her to come forward," Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth said in a press release.

There has been an outpouring of support in the city for the affected businesses.

Cash Mob Chilliwack has organized an event for this Friday at both The Bay Leaf and Shandhar Hut. For more Information on Cash Mob Chilliwack visit facebook.com/CashMob-Chilliwack.

? Anyone with any information about the emails is asked to call the Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS).

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com