How Pakistani, Khalistani threats forced Indian restaurant in UK to shut shop

For nearly two decades, Rangrez in London's Hammersmith was a one-stop shop for Indian delicacies like tadka dal, karahi chicken, butter chicken, shahi paneer and desi curries. However, the eatery, which has been a home away from home for thousands of Indians for 16 years, is now shutting shop. In an emotive post on Tuesday, the Sikh owner of the restaurant, Harman Singh Kapoor, blamed a mix of factors, including "repeated attacks" by Pakistanis and a lack of police support, for the move.

"Rising costs, online harassment, repeated disturbances and attacks by Pakistanis and a lack of proper support from the Met Police have made it impossible to continue," Kapoor, who also engages in activism, tweeted on Tuesday. However, this is not the first time that Kapoor, who owns other businesses in London, has been targeted.

HISTORY OF THREATS AND ATTACKS

A vocal critic of radical Khalistani elements, Kapoor has previously said his views have made him a target for threats and attacks. A quick look at his Instagram profile, which has over 77,000 followers, reveals several posts criticising Khalistani supporters and mocking Pakistan. It also contains posts critical of the UK police and Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

A part of his resentment for the UK police stems from what he alleges was inadequate support from cops during attacks on his residence and his restaurant.

In fact, last month, Kapoor, who was born in Punjab, posted a video showing a masked man vandalising his car that was parked outside his home in London. He was out of the country at that time.

"This is not an isolated concern. Law-abiding citizens are being abandoned, while criminals act with impunity. The silence and inaction are unacceptable," Kapoor posted, urging immediate police action.

Even last year, Kapoor was attacked by a group of Pakistanis. In a video, Kapoor alleged that he immediately called the police. However, he himself was arrested after the group blamed him for starting the fight. "I got arrested because my name is not Khan and I am not a terrorist," he said in the video.

VOCAL CRITIC OF KHALISTANI MOVEMENT

Kapoor's outspoken views on the Khalistani issue landed him in trouble in 2023 as well. He had to temporarily close his Rangrez restaurant in March 2023 after alleged Khalistani supporters targeted the eatery. Describing the ordeal, Kapoor claimed a group of men with "concealed weapons" came to his restaurant, banged on the glass doors and shouted slurs in Punjabi.

A video posted by Kapoor on Instagram shows a group of men dressed in black banging on the doors of the restaurant.

"I had managed to lock the doors in time. We had two customers inside. Everyone was terrified," Kapoor later told the media. A couple of months before that, Kapoor claimed his London home was attacked multiple times within an hour.

His family has lived in fear ever since. Death and rape threats also followed, Kapoor has claimed

The trigger was believed to be a TikTok video that he posted criticising the Khalistani movement and how radical elements have become active recently.

During the time of the incident, India and the UK were involved in a diplomatic row involving the long-standing Khalistani issue, which involves a demand for carving out an independent state named Khalistan from Punjab.

The attack on the Rangrez restaurant came days after supporters of Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh held a protest at the Indian High Commission in London and tore the Indian flag at the premises. It led to a diplomatic spat, with India accusing the UK of giving space to raidcal Khalistani elements.

Since 2023, his life has changed, plagued by constant threats and fear of being attacked. That year, in an interview with ANI, Kapoor underscored that the myth that he was safe as he was living in London was wrong.

"I have been staying in the United Kingdom for 26 years... The Khalistani movement has been active in the UK for the past 1.5 years. I posted a video about the same and it gained a lot of traction online. They wanted me to remove the clip and apologise to them, but I refused," he said in the 2023 interview.

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