Second Racially Motivated Attack on Sikh Woman in UK

On 25 Oct, a 20-year-old Sikh student was walking alone through a dimly lit street in the Park Hall neighborhood in Walsall, UK when she was attacked. She ran to her home but the attacker tore down the door, assaulted and raped her. The police said the attack was accompanied with racial slurs and classified it as a 'racially aggravated' offence. The racially aggravated category under UK law increases the severity of the crime because of its discriminatory motive. On 27 Oct, a white 32-year-old man was arrested by the West Midland Police. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, 'The racially aggravated rape in Walsall is a horrific crime. My thoughts are with the victim and her family.’ Sikh Federation UK said, 'West Midlands Police have now had two racially aggravated rapes of young women in their 20s in the last two months and urgently need to find those responsible.' The police has made a few arrests before releasing the suspects on bail in their investigation into the racially aggravated rape of a British Sikh woman in Oldbury in September. Sanam Arora, chair of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK said, 'As a woman, a Sikh, and a first-generation immigrant, I am heartbroken by this second racially motivated sexual attack in as many months.’ Preet Kaur Gill, a Member of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party, condemned the incident, 'Deeply shocked and saddened that we are hearing of yet another racially aggravated rape this time in Walsall.' The attack has led to outrage among the community and rights groups. Outside the local Gurdwara, dozens gathered in a candlelight vigil for the survivor. 'This is not just about one woman,' said Harpreet Singh, spokesperson for the Sikh Federation UK. 'It is about protecting every member of a community that should feel safe, valued, and equal.' Across Walsall’s tightly knit South Asian neighborhoods, residents expressed both solidarity and fear. With a population of around 280K, and a South Asian community comprising nearly one-fifth of its residents, Walsall has long been hailed for its diversity (earlier coverage).

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