A woman accused of pushing an immigrant from India to his death in front of a New York subway train has been charged with murder as a hate crime.

Police arrested Erika Menendez yesterday after a passer-by on a street noticed she resembled the woman seen in a surveillance video.

A spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Menendez told authorities she hates Hindus and Muslims.

Subway shoving victim Sunando Sen was from India, but it is unclear if he was Muslim or Hindu.

Mr Sen was killed on Thursday. Witnesses say a muttering woman pushed him on the tracks as a train entered a Queens station and then ran off.

Menendez is in custody and could not be reached for comment.

Judge Gia Morris ordered that 31-year-old Menendez be held without bail and undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Authorities say Menendez admitted shoving Mr Sen, who was pushed from behind.

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