Police have arrested four British Sikhs based in the west Midlands in connection with the murder of Indian leader Rulda Singh in Patiala, a north Indian city, in July last year following an 11-month investigation.
Rulda Singh, leader of the right-wing out-fit Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -affiliated Sikh Sangat, was shot dead outside his shop on 29 July
2009. He had reportedly visited the UK and other countries to urge Sikhs to return to India.
The Babbar Khalsa International had reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
"West Midlands Police have arrested four men on suspicion of the murder, in India, of Rulda Singh. The men, who were detained earlier Wednesday morning at their home addresses, are from Smethwick, Wolverhampton, and two from Coventry. All are British subjects and aged between 27 and 36," a police spokesman said.
The Indian police had named two UK-based Indians as suspects, but the West Midlands police declined to confirm or deny whether they were among those arrested.
The arrests were made early morning Tuesday following investigation and coordination between the Indian and West Midlands Police.
"The investigation into the death of Mr Singh is complex and ongoing both here and in the Punjab," said Detective Superintendent George Tracey.
Gurharpal Singh, professor of inter-religious relations at Birmingham University, told the Guardian that the police had told him of concerns that Sikh groups strongly opposed to any attempts to undermine their faith, had won control of temples in Britain "with the agenda of rekindling militancy".
He said: "There are militant groups that have a foothold in gurdwaras in the UK and may well be behind murders but they do not represent mainstream Sikhism. The Indian state is likely to want to construe this (murder of Ruda Singh) as a militant hit against an ideology that is a threat to mainstream Sikhism, but there may also be local political situations in play."
West Midlands Police's counter-terrorism unit said their officers have been visiting gurdwaras in the area, among other faith institutions, since
the beginning of 2009 under the Home Office's anti-terror policy, Prevent.