THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Leicester Mother and Sick British Child Held for Hours at a Police Station in Punjab – Community Plans Protests
Family alleges false case after mother and child taken to police station during Easter visit to relatives in India
Leicester – A mother from Leicester and her young British son were reportedly held for several hours at a police station in Punjab, India, after travelling to the country to visit relatives during the Easter holidays.
The incident has caused concern among residents in Leicester and across the wider Indian community in the United Kingdom.
Ms Alka Rani, a Leicester resident, travelled to Hoshiarpur in Punjab with her minor son for a short family visit. Their return flight to the United Kingdom was scheduled for 25 April.
Other members of the family had also travelled from the UK for the same visit. Ms Rani’s brother and his family, who travelled from Bristol, are also currently in Hoshiarpur spending time with relatives.
According to information received by community representatives, Ms Rani’s brother-in-law, Mr Yogesh Arora, a journalist with PTC News, was called to Model Town Police Station in Hoshiarpur on the evening of 17 April 2026.
Police officers later arrived at the house where Ms Rani was staying with relatives and took both Ms Rani and her minor son to the police station.
Family members state that the mother and child were kept at the police station for several hours. At the time, the child was reportedly suffering from a high fever of around 103°F, causing serious concern for the family.
Following the incident, FIR No. 47 was registered at Model Town Police Station in Hoshiarpur under allegations relating to the sale of alcohol, and Ms Rani’s name was included in the case.
Family members and community representatives strongly dispute the allegation and say Ms Rani had no involvement in the alleged offence, describing the case as false and fabricated.
The Indian Workers Association (Great Britain) said that Ms Rani’s passport and personal belongings were taken into police possession.
These reportedly include approximately £5,500 in cash, INR 350,000 (approximately £3,300) and gold jewellery.
Additional family funds of approximately INR 4,000,000 (around £38,000) in cash together with gold ornaments were also present at the house at the time, as the family had been negotiating the purchase of a small house for their mother in Hoshiarpur.
Community representatives say it is difficult to understand how a visiting family member from the United Kingdom could be included in such a case simply for being present at a relative’s home.
Fortunately, Ms Rani’s brother and his family from Bristol were not present at the house when police arrived. Otherwise, it is possible they too could have been drawn into the case, resulting in another NRI family facing unnecessary distress.
Sital Singh Gill, General Secretary of the Indian Workers Association (Great Britain), said:
“This situation is extremely worrying. A mother from Leicester and her young British child travelled to India simply to visit family during the Easter holidays. Instead, they found themselves taken to a police station and included in a criminal case despite there appearing to be no connection whatsoever to the alleged offence.
We respectfully urge the authorities to review the matter urgently and fairly. If there is no evidence linking Ms Alka Rani to the allegations, her name should be removed from the case immediately and her passport and belongings returned so that she and her British child can return safely to the United Kingdom.”
Mr Gill added that the incident has raised concerns among residents in Leicester and the wider Indian community across the UK.
The Indian Workers Association (Great Britain) has also called an emergency meeting of community representatives to discuss the situation and organise peaceful demonstrations.
Protests are expected to take place outside the Indian Embassy in London and in Birmingham, and community representatives say the campaign will continue until the British child and his mother are able to return safely to the United Kingdom.
