Sergeant cleared of misconduct at Hindu procession

The IOPC rejected claims that Sgt Adam Ahmed treated the group less favourably because they were Hindu

A Leicester police officer who sparked international headlines over religious tensions has been cleared of misconduct by an independent investigation.

Thousands of people signed a petition calling for Sgt Adam Ahmed to be suspended after he stopped a Hindu procession and arrested a community leader.

The incident happened on Belgrave Road in Leicester during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in September 2023.

It prompted angry claims and counter-claims of religious discrimination between Hindus and Muslims in the city.

Footage that went viral on social media showed how tempers flared as Sgt Ahmed, who is Muslim, stopped a group of Hindu worshippers.

A community leader, Dharmesh Lakhani, confronted him and repeated "do not touch our priest".

Mr Lakhani is then seen in handcuffs, as he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

Now the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) has concluded an investigation into complaints against Sgt Ahmed.

The IOPC said he was trying to establish whether the procession had the necessary permission, and his use of force to make an arrest was "necessary, proportionate and reasonable".

"We concluded that the officer balanced his actions and decisions between maintaining public order and safety, ensuring compliance with the law, and ultimately took a proportionate approach," a spokesperson said.

Investigators said nothing they found indicated that Sgt Ahmed committed a criminal offence, or behaved in a way that would justify disciplinary action.

"Bodyworn footage indicated that there was physical contact as the officer guided along one of the procession organisers while walking with a large group of people near the road. We took the view that this contact was reasonable in the circumstances," the spokesperson added.

The confrontation prompted headlines as far afield as India, where it was covered by TV rolling news channels.

It happened almost a year to the day after serious disorder outside the same temple on Belgrave Road in Leicester.

That involved hundreds of mainly Hindu and Muslim young men facing off across police lines.

It prompted a national debate about community tensions in Leicester, and an independent review set up by the previous government is expected to report next year.

'Learnings delivered'

The IOPC also rejected claims that Sgt Ahmed treated the group less favourably because they were Hindu.

"In our opinion, there was no evidence to indicate the officer's actions were due to any religious differences with the attendees," the IOPC said.

The investigation found that some of Sgt Ahmed's remarks could be considered disrespectful, "but not at a level of misconduct".

The IOPC said Leicestershire Police had agreed that Sgt Ahmed should address that by undertaking the "reflective practice review" process.

Sgt Ahmed - who featured in the BBC TV series Fresh Cops - hit back against the complaints against him in a public social media post for Islamophobia Awareness Month.

Writing on LinkedIn, he said he was deeply shaken by what he described as an online "smear campaign".

He said a "torrent of baseless attacks" turned into "a case filled with Islamophobic and racial abuse".

Sgt Ahmed added his experiences showed that Islamophobia and racism were "real, impactful, and painful".

Legal advice

Leicestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Rupert Matthews, declined a request to be interviewed but released the following statement.

"The IOPC's findings confirm that this officer conducted his duties correctly, following force policy and with impartiality," he said.

"I am pleased to see that there is no blemish on his record, as no-one should be castigated for undertaking their job responsibly, in order to keep people safe.

"The IOPC is, as the name states, independent. I hope that this outcome reassures the public that Leicestershire officers act professionally and with the public interest at heart."

Leicestershire Police said "some learning for the officer has now been delivered", but that Sgt Ahmed acted proportionately and in line with force procedures.

Dharmesh Lakhani, the community leader whose arrest prompted the investigation, told the BBC that he was never charged with any criminal offence.

"I want an apology. And I want my DNA and fingerprints scrubbed [removed].

"They have swept it under the carpet. It's the police marking the police," he added.

Mr Lakhani said he was now taking legal advice about whether he could make a civil claim against the Leicestershire force.