Harman Singh Kapoor, a Sikh restaurant owner in London, and his family have become the target of persistent threats since they uploaded a video about the Khalistan movement on social media.
This occurs despite several police guarantees of safety and specialized safety procedures. According to the reports, the family has been the target of three attacks and does not feel secure in London. Just days after the Indian High Commission in London was vandalised last month, pro-Khalistan supporters attacked Harman’s restaurant named ‘Rangrez, the taste of Punjab’.
After that, Harman released a video that had two million views in only two days, which prompted threatening phone calls, online harassment, and social media trolls to target him and his family. Kapoor stated that the threats began after he posted a video on TikTok, in which he said, “This Khalistan movement started a while back and then it died down. Today again, a section of people who are settled in Canada, in England and Australia want Khalistan but those in India don’t want it. Those who need Khalistan should go back to India and ask for it.”
Harman said that after the video, he started getting death threats and that people started attacking his restaurant. He was threatened with death if he didn’t take down the video, shout pro-Khalistan, and burn the Indian flag.
The restaurant located in Hammersmith, West London, was also vandalised by the Khalistani elements in March in reaction to the video. Several men in masks and hoods had arrived at the restaurant, banged on the doors and asked those inside to come out and face them. After the video of the attack had emerged on social media, REACH-UK had urged the Met Police to take swift action against the perpetrators. “Majority of Sikh do not follow this ideology and hence are harassed by the Khalistani separatist. Provide protection to the minorities of UK,” they had added.
We urge @metpoliceuk to take the cognisance of this attack on a Punjabi restaurant “Rangrez Restaurant “ in Hammersmith. Majority of Sikh do not follow this ideology and hence are harassed by the Khalistani separatist. Provide protection to the minorities of UK. @HCI_London… https://t.co/gpjJMZ6rTU
— REACH 🇮🇳 (UK) Chapter (@reachind_uk) March 22, 2023
Harman said that threats of rape were also made against his wife and daughter. “Calls to rape and murder them were posted online along with our address. Videos of criminals licking images of my wife and daughter were also shared”, Kapoor continued.
The wife of the restaurant owner, Khushi also said that their car was being followed after the video went viral and that they had to go into hiding for around 10 days. “The restaurant was shut, we were scared, education of my children has suffered. Moreover, this is severe mental torture and the Police is not even helping us,” Khushi said in an interview with India Today.
Sikh Family in London faces death, rape threats over Khalistan post#SikhRestaurantOwner #UK #Londondeaththreats #rape #KhalistaniProtesters #NewsMo pic.twitter.com/5yDckNonSg
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) May 4, 2023
Recalling the attack in the same interview, Harman said, “After I posted the video, I got two million views for it in two days. But, I started getting calls to take down the video else they would kill me and my family. I wondered who could threaten me like this as I am in the UK. However, five people came and attacked my restaurant. They raised slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Hindustan Murdabad” and asked me to burn the Indian flag, or else they said would kill me.”
Harman Kapoor also slammed the attackers and said that they were ‘sick’ and not ‘Sikhs’. “I wonder if these people are asking for Khalsa raj or gunda raj,” he added.
A group of pro-Khalistani activists demonstrated in front of the Indian High Commission in London on March 22. And the attack at Harman’s restaurant took place that same evening at 6.30.
On March 19, a group of pro-Khalistan activists broke windows, smashed doors, climbed onto the balcony, and took down the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission. One individual was detained by the police at the time, who eventually released them on bail so they could reappear in court in June.
The UK police however responded to the attack and said that they had reached the spot within 15 minutes of the attack. “We have been in regular contact with him (Harman) and are working to put extra safeguarding measures in place to ensure that he feels safe returning home. This includes panic alarms being installed at relevant properties and the offer of alternative accommodation. Our investigation is progressing, led by detectives from CID. This includes reviewing CCTV and other enquiries. We will continue to update the victim on a regular basis,” the police was quoted as saying by India Today.
Harman’s home was also attacked
Harman said that a second attack occurred at their place of residence on March 23 around 7:30 pm. “Police reached out to us. They said they would come again in two days to take our statements and arrest the suspects. But it is more than two weeks now,” said Harman who had fled into hiding to avoid the threats but had to return to work.
As per the reports, the family is living in constant fear and does not feel safe as the attackers are still at large. “Police told us that we are not on priority because nothing has happened to us. Unless someone is injured or hurt or killed, they can act in full force. Those who are harassing us know that till they don’t touch us, the police won’t do anything. So, these people are out in the open threatening and harrasing us while the police are waiting for us to be killed so that they can take action,” Harman alleged. “Do we have to die for the police to take action,” he remarked.
Similar threats faced by many Sikhs, claims Bloom review report
Reportedly, there are many Sikhs who are suffering due to the Khalistani supporters. An independent report, the Bloom review recently released a report on ‘How government engages with faith’ on April 26 and said that there are repeated cases of individuals being intimidated and threatened by aggressive Sikh activists, either directly or indirectly through family members, for openly standing against them.
The report commissioned by former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called on the Rishi Sunak government to address the issue urgently and safeguard most of the Sikhs in the UK who do not support the extremist ideology.
The urgency of resolving the problem has been highlighted in the report. According to the research, fringe Khalistani groups intimidate and coerce the Sikh community in the UK. These pro-Khalistan organisations lobby political figures under the cover of human rights activity, which artificially increases their power and draws excessive attention.
As per the report, the acts of pro-Khalistan organisations project a false sense of legitimacy that is at odds with the Sikh faith. It is crucial to understand that the majority of British Sikh communities do not share the ideas of Khalistani separatists.
