BRITISH Sikhs are being questioned about their views on India when stopped at UK airports, raising concerns about potential influence from the Indian government, according to Labour MP Preet Gill.
Gill, a prominent Sikh in parliament, has written to home secretary Yvette Cooper to highlight cases where British Sikhs have reported being subjected to lengthy questioning and inappropriate treatment upon re-entering the UK, The Guardian reported.
Gill said several Sikhs contacted her about these incidents, which allegedly involve questions on Sikhism, the partition of India, and the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
In one instance, a man returning from a family holiday in Turkey was detained at Manchester Airport for hours and questioned on his beliefs and Nijjar’s death.
Gill noted that the man was “roughly handled” and that an officer attempted to remove his turban, a significant religious symbol, the newspaper reported.
In her letter to the home secretary, Gill wrote, “The anecdotal evidence I have gives me cause for concern, that law-abiding Sikhs are being targeted, and that they are being subjected to inappropriate questioning that centres on their identity and religious beliefs, for no apparent reason.” She added that these practices leave Sikhs feeling victimised and unsafe.
The concerns come amid a growing diplomatic row between India and Canada over Nijjar’s killing, which Ottawa has linked to Indian officials. Delhi has historically been wary of the Sikh nationalist movement, Khalistan, and has expressed concerns about its activities within the Sikh diaspora.
Sikh community leaders in the UK claim the use of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 has increased against British Sikhs, allowing authorities to question individuals without suspicion.
Gurpreet Singh Anand, president of the Khalsa Jatha British Isles gurdwara in London, said those detained are often asked for mobile phones and social media passwords, The Guardian reported. He added, “They are asked very broad questions like: what are your views on Khalistan and India?”
Gill stated, “The specific and unusual line of questioning at multiple airports gives me cause for concern that this is part of a concerted strategy to target Sikhs.”
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)