An elderly man pushed onto subway tracks in Harlem by a Santa Claus lookalike last month is in a vegetative state — and probers are now eyeing “homicide” charges, law enforcement sources told The Post.
Shou Kuan Lin, 72, can only breathe through a respirator and is being moved from St. Lukes Hospital to a rehab center in the hopes that his condition will improve, sources said.
But, sources say, that “improvement” is highly unlikely and Lin’s distraught family is refusing to pull the plug.
Meanwhile, investigators are anxiously waiting to slap Guyanese vagrant Rudralall Baldeo with upgraded charges of “negligent homicide,” sources said.
“It’s only a matter of time,” noted one law enforcement source.
On Nov. 22, a drunken Baldeo shoved Lin onto the tracks in the West 145th Street station as Lin was standing with his wife on the crowded platform, cops said.
Baldeo — who cops say resembles Kriss Kringle with his white hair and white beard — claimed Lin accidentally fell and that he even said “excuse me” to the victim just moments before.
But several witnesses said that Baldeo shoved Lin, sources said.
And Lin’s wife told cops, “Push, push, push,” while pointing out Baldeo at the scene.
Baldeo was charged with attempted murder and assault.
He was ordered held without bail at his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.