Indian-origin woman raped in UK: Police arrest 32-year-old 'white male' after manhunt; outrage over racial hate crime

A 32-year-old man was arrested after a manhunt on Monday after the alleged rape of an Indian-origin woman near London.

A 20-year-old woman of Indian-origin was allegedly raped in what police believe was a "racially aggravated" attack in England's West Midlands region over the weekend, prompting outrage among local South Asian communities and British lawmakers.

"We’ve arrested a man after a woman was raped in Walsall in what we are treating as a racially aggravated attack. The 32-year-old was arrested on suspicion of rape just before 7am today in the Perry Barr area," the police statement read.

According to the West Midlands Police, officers were called to the scene after reports of a woman in distress on a residential street.

"Our investigation will progress today, and our priority remains the young woman who was the subject of this attack," the statement said. "She has been updated this morning and will continue to receive full support from specially trained officers," it added.

How police nabbed the suspect

On Sunday, police released CCTV images of the suspect, described as a white male in his 30s with short hair and wearing dark clothing, as part of a public appeal for information.

"This was an absolutely appalling attack on a young woman," the lead investigator said, calling the case "racially aggravated" and urging witnesses to come forward.

"We have teams of officers recovering evidence and building a profile of the attacker. If you saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area, or have dashcam or CCTV footage, please contact us, your information could be the vital breakthrough we need," the appeal said.

The accused was later produced in court and remanded to custody.

While police have not officially released details about the woman’s background, local community organisations have claimed she is of Punjabi heritage. Sikh Federation UK said the victim was attacked inside her home, alleging the assailant "broke down the door" before committing the crime.

"West Midlands Police have now had two racially aggravated rapes of young women in their 20s in the last two months and urgently need to find those responsible," the organisation said.

Just weeks earlier, a British Sikh woman in Oldbury was also reportedly subjected to a racially motivated sexual assault.

Meanwhile, chief superintendent Phil Dolby of Walsall Police said officers are engaging directly with residents to ease community tensions and ensure safety.

"Walsall is a diverse area, and we know the fear and concern this awful attack will cause in our communities," Dolby said, according to news agency PTI.

The incident has also drawn strong condemnation from British Sikh MPs Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who expressed alarm at what they described as a "repeated pattern” of racially aggravated sexual violence in the region.

"Deeply shocked and saddened that we are hearing of yet another racially aggravated rape, this time in Walsall," said Gill, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston.

Dhesi, Labour MP for Slough, echoed the sentiment, "After the shocking racially aggravated rape in Oldbury that the Sikh community is still reeling from, yet another in Walsall. Spreading of hate has real consequences. We must help police bring those responsible to justice.”