London: A woman of Sikh faith was allegedly brutally raped in the UK, and the assaulters, who are two white people, used “racist remarks” against her. The attackers told the woman, “Go back to your own country”, according to reports.
The UK police on Friday issued an appeal for information, and they said that it is treating the case as a “racially aggravated assault”, PTI reported.
Police said it was called on Tuesday morning after the woman, in her 20s, reported being sexually attacked at Tame Road, Oldbury, in the Sandwell area of the West Midlands region of England.
The two white male suspects are said to have targeted the woman and made a “racist remark” during the attack. One of them is said to have a shaved head, a heavy build and was reported to be wearing a dark coloured sweatshirt and had gloves on. The police said the second man was reportedly wearing a grey top with a silver zip.
The local MP for Smethwick, Gurinder Singh Josan, said the “truly horrific attack” had left the victim traumatised and appealed for anyone with information to assist the police in investigating the "hate crime".
“I am reassured Sandwell police are doing everything they possibly can to find the perpetrators. The incident is being treated as a hate crime,” said Josan.
“The police are working extremely sympathetically with the victim at her pace, who has been traumatised by the attack,” he added.
Groups such as Sikh Youth UK said they are supporting the victim and her family after the “brutal attack", and the local gurdwara, Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick, has organised a public meeting on Friday to discuss vigilance and safety measures for members of the community.
Attacks against the Sikh community on the basis of race have seen an uptick in the territory, according to reports.