Punjab Outlook

A British-born Sikh woman in her 20s was sexually assaulted, raped and brutally beaten in a racially and sexually motivated attack on September 9 between 8:00 and 8:30 am, according to reports from Sikh Federation (UK). The attack occurred in broad daylight on Tame Road in Oldbury, West Midlands. During the assault, the attackers are said to have shouted: “You don’t belong in this country, get out.”  This clearly racially motivated language has led authorities to investigate the incident as both a sexual assault and a hate crime.
West Midlands Police are actively investigating the case and have issued descriptions of the suspects. The men are described as white. One had a shaved head, a heavy build, and was reportedly wearing a dark-coloured sweatshirt and gloves. The second man was said to be wearing a grey top with a silver zip.  Police are appealing for witnesses who may have been in the area during the morning hours of the attack, particularly since it occurred on what is described as a busy road where the local MP has his office.
The Sikh community has rallied around the victim, with multiple organisations providing support. Sikh Youth UK has met with the victim and her family to offer assistance, while also urging the wider community to remain vigilant and strengthen safety measures. The group has called for anyone with information about this “brutal racist and sexual attack” to come forward to help identify the perpetrators.
Community leaders have expressed frustration with what they perceive as insufficient political response to the attack. Dabinderjit Singh OBE, Lead Executive for Political Engagement at the Sikh Federation (UK), said: “The attack took place in broad daylight on a busy road where the local MP has his office.”   He criticized the current political climate, suggesting that anti-immigration rhetoric has contributed to an environment where such attacks occur, and called for politicians from all parties to show “zero tolerance for all violent racist attacks.”
This incident is part of a concerning pattern of racially motivated attacks against the Sikh community in the West Midlands region. The attack follows a recent assault on two elderly Sikh taxi drivers in nearby Wolverhampton, raising concerns about the safety of Sikhs in the area. Community leaders are working to address these security concerns, with Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick planning to host a public meeting about the incident to discuss community safety measures and response strategies.