UK: Gurpreet Singh arrested over skirmishes between Khalistanis and Tricolour holders
In the UK, a Sikh Indian nationwide named Gurpreet Singh was booked for possession of a knife and stabbing two males throughout India’s Independence Day celebrations in Southall. The ethnicity of the injured is just not but identified, however each of them are admitted to the hospital for remedy.
Unverified movies circulating on social media depicted confrontations between a gaggle of pro-Khalistan activists and a gathering of younger people of Indian origin who have been waving the tricolour. These incidents occurred on Tuesday as a part of the customary August 15 celebrations in Southall Broadway.
According to a report by the Times of India, a spokesperson of the Metropolitan Police mentioned, “At around 10 pm on 15 August, officers were policing an Indian Independence Day street event in the Broadway, Southall, when a member of the public informed them of an altercation that had taken place. They found two men, in their 30s, with knife injuries. They were taken to hospital where their injuries were assessed as not life-threatening. They have since been discharged.”
Two people have been apprehended on the website. Gurpreet Singh (age 25), a resident of Ilford, made an look at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on August 17. He faces prices together with tried grievous bodily hurt with intent, two counts of grievous bodily hurt with intent, affray, threats involving a bladed article, and two counts of possessing a bladed article. He has been held in custody and is scheduled to current earlier than Isleworth Crown Court on September 14. The second detained particular person, in his twenties, has been launched on police bail whereas additional inquiries happen. In response to the incident, a Section 35 dispersal order was sanctioned for the world.
People celebrating India’s independence day have been listening to music and songs like ‘Jai Ho’ in Southall. Youths raised slogans like ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’ within the Southall Broadway space as they marched previous the railway station and native gurdwara, which has a picture of Bhindranwale on the outside.
Just then, a number of males with Khalistani flags confronted off in opposition to the tricolour-carrying crowd. An Instagram video posted by “Southall’s Finest” captures a scene the place roughly 4 to 5 people are seen brandishing yellow flags bearing the phrase “Khalistan” on them. They are engaged in a standoff with a significantly bigger meeting of younger people of Indian origin who’re proudly displaying the tricolour flag.
Subsequently, the group of tricolour-waving males pursues one of many people holding the Khalistan flag. The video additionally depicts regulation enforcement personnel in pursuit, in addition to a gaggle of males subjecting one man to bodily assault via beating and kicking, prompting police intervention.
In cost of native policing efforts in Ealing, Superintendent Sean Lynch acknowledged, “I recognise the enormous concern this incident will have caused, both in Southall and in the Sikh communities around London and further afield, in what was an otherwise largely peaceful and celebratory event. Our urgent investigation continues. We are aware of footage circulating on social media, with people also commenting on what they think happened. We would urge people to avoid echoing or adding to the speculation. Fortunately, none of those injured were seriously hurt and there were no fatalities.”
