Man arrested over ‘racially motivated’ rape of Sikh woman in UK | Chandigarh News

A man has been arrested on suspicion of rape after a British Sikh woman was physically attacked and sexually assaulted in broad daylight in Oldbury last week. Police are describing the rape as “racially-motivated.“West Midlands Police arrested the man, in his 30s, on Sunday night. He remains in custody. The woman in her 20s told police she was raped and beaten between 8am and 8.30am on Sept 9 on Thame Road and that the two male white perpetrators shouted at her: “You don’t belong in this country, get out.” The Sikh woman, in a statement issued through Sikh Youth UK, said: “All I was doing was going about my day on my way to work, and what has happened has deeply affected us. Through it all my family has been my rock, and my community has stood strong beside me.” Ch Supt Kim Madill, of Sandwell Police, said: “This is a significant development in the investigation which remains on-going.” The rape has triggered huge concern and fear among the Sikh community who feel anti-Sikh hate crimes are not being treated with utmost seriousness by the British govt. The UK Gurdwara Alliance sent a letter to home secretary Shabana Mahmood which states: “Silence from you and the Home Office following the racist sexual attack last Tuesday is unacceptable. We need you to show public solidarity with the victim and the Sikh community. Most Sikhs are visibly identifiable by our articles of faith and appearance and have been vulnerable worldwide since 9/11.” Dabinderjit Singh OBE, lead executive for political engagement at the Sikh Federation (UK) said: “We hope the other man will also be arrested, charged and prosecutions will quickly follow for this vile crime.” Around 200 men and women from across communities gathered at the Guru Nanak Gurudwara Smethwick on Sunday afternoon for prayers to show solidarity with the victim and then regathered at the location where the rape happened shouting “What do we want? Justice now”. Sikh activist Jas Singh addressed them saying: “For 10 years we have been raising anti-Sikh hate crime. For 10 years it has been ignored.”