UK police launch hate crime inquiry after Sikh holy text damaged outside residence in Leeds

UK Police have initiated a hate crime investigation following the report of a damaged Sikh holy text outside a residential address in the Headingley area of Leeds, northern England...

Initially, it was believed that the damaged pieces of the holy text had been placed in the victims bin by an unknown suspect after it was put out for refuse collection on July 11...

Any crime such as this which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by hostility or prejudice to their race or religion is treated as a hate crime, and we treat all incidents of this nature very seriously, said Chief Superintendent Steve Dodds, Leeds District Commander for West Yorkshire Police...

We have launched a criminal investigation led by detectives from Leeds District CID who are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident and to identify who is responsible, he said.. Dodds said the police force appreciates that the incident has caused understandable concern in the local Sikh community and beyond...

The police, which is appealing for anyone with information to come forward, said a crime has been recorded for racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident, including how the damaged text came to be left where it was discovered on St. Annes Road..

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