LONDON: Two British Indian Telugu Hindu men were assaulted during a Dussehra and Bathukamma celebration in the town of Ossett, West Yorkshire, last Saturday night in what police believe was a racially aggravated attack. The assaults happened on Oct 17 outside Ossett Town Hall, which was hosting the celebration. The event was organised by local Telugu Hindu community groups.
Earlier in the evening a group of around 25 local white youths, mostly male, were cycling around on e-bikes asking organisers what was going on in the town hall and who was inside. Some of them tried to force their way in, but security did not allow it.
One of the victims, a 51-year-old British Indian man from the Hyderabad region, left the event at around 9pm and walked to his car with a friend. As they did so, they encountered a group of eight to 10 youths, some in black balaclavas.
“One of them approached us and started asking us why we were here, what we were doing and looked aggressive,” he told TOI. “He circled around us and used filthy language. We didn’t respond. We didn’t feel it was safe to go further and started to go back to town hall and then he hit both of us. He hit me hard and pushed me to the ground on my face and left me bleeding.
I stood up and then he punched me in my left eye … My friend was left with a head injury and his hand was bleeding.”
There have been no arrests yet. Inspector Andrew Dickinson said: “We recognise the distress thishas caused to the wider Hindu community. We are treating these assaults seriously and are working to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”