In the UK, a Sikh Indian national named Gurpreet Singh was booked for possession of a knife and stabbing two men during India’s Independence Day celebrations in Southall. The ethnicity of the injured is not yet known, but both of them are admitted to the hospital for treatment.
Unverified videos circulating on social media depicted confrontations between a group of pro-Khalistan activists and a gathering of young individuals of Indian origin who were waving the tricolour. These incidents occurred on Tuesday as 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 said, “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 individuals were apprehended at the site. Gurpreet Singh (age 25), a resident of Ilford, made an appearance at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on August 17. He faces charges including attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of grievous bodily harm 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 present before Isleworth Crown Court on September 14. The second detained individual, in his twenties, has been released on police bail while further inquiries take place. In response to the incident, a Section 35 dispersal order was sanctioned for the area.
People celebrating India’s independence day were listening to music and songs like ‘Jai Ho’ in Southall. Youths raised slogans like ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in the Southall Broadway area as they marched past the railway station and local gurdwara, which has an image of Bhindranwale on the exterior.
Just then, a few men with Khalistani flags faced off against the tricolour-carrying crowd. An Instagram video posted by “Southall’s Finest” captures a scene where approximately four to five individuals are seen brandishing yellow flags bearing the word “Khalistan” on them. They are engaged in a standoff with a considerably larger assembly of young individuals of Indian origin who are proudly displaying the tricolour flag.
Subsequently, the group of tricolour-waving men pursues one of the individuals holding the Khalistan flag. The video also depicts law enforcement personnel in pursuit, as well as a group of men subjecting one man to physical assault through beating and kicking, prompting police intervention.
In charge of local policing efforts in Ealing, Superintendent Sean Lynch stated, “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.”