Sikhs in West Midlands given ‘threat to life’ warnings as activists fear targeting by India

Sikhs in the West Midlands have been issued “threat to life” warnings, amid growing concern about the safety of separatist campaigners who Sikhs claim are being targeted by the Indian government. Three members of a family received Osman warnings in March from West Midlands police, meaning there is intelligence of a death threat or risk of murder but not enough evidence to justify an arrest. Officers did not provide information about why the warnings, which are named after a high-profile case, were issued. A spokesperson for West Midlands police said: “We received information that suggested that members of a family may have been at risk of harm. “We have processes in place when we receive information about threats to people, and in line with our duty of care, family members were made aware and advice provided.” One of the individuals concerned told the Times he was issued a warning along with his father and brother, and believed it could be linked to their views on the Indian government. He said he had “posted stuff on Twitter and Instagram against the regime [in India]” and “an Indian government connection would make sense because myself and my dad are vocal in the community and we are independent”. He also said the threat could have come from local religious fundamentalists. Sikh community leaders have criticised the UK government for not publicly condemning the Indian government after a Sikh separatist leader was shot dead in Canada, and the US accused India of “transnational terrorism” after foiling a plot to kill an activist last year. Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has blamed the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar on the Indian government, leading to Canada withdrawing 41 diplomats from India. The FBI warned at least three Americans active in the Sikh community that their lives were in danger in the aftermath of the murder. At a meeting of the Federation of Sikh Organisations (FSO) on Sunday, a resolution was passed criticising the UK government for failing to address the threat to the safety and security of Sikh activists in Britain and not publicly condemning transnational repression by the Indian government. A resolution was also passed urging Sikh leaders not to allow UK politicians to speak in gurdwaras unless they publicly condemn “the Indian government’s transnational repression of Sikh activists in the diaspora”. The federation also backed a legal challenge by the family of the Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda, which is calling for an inquiry into his sudden death in June about the same time as the murder and attempted murder of Sikh separatists in Canada and the US. “We’ve been concerned generally with the approach by the UK government and authorities here, we’ve seen an almost complete silence from them,” said Dabinderjit Singh, a principal adviser for the Sikh Federation, which is a leading member of the FSO. “They’ve said nothing about the safety and security of Sikhs in this country. It feels like we’re not necessarily that safe any more. My biggest concern is that Sikhs in the UK will stay away from protests, they won’t raise their voices, because they fear what will happen.” A government spokesperson said: “The UK is proud of its diverse communities, and British Sikhs contribute immensely to the strength of our society. “We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms and safety in the UK seriously.”