A Sikh group has written to the BBC Trust to complain about the misuse of the holy symbol of the Sikh symbol Khanda in a news report.

The London based organisation United Sikhs claim that on Friday 16th Oct 2009, a news story about a Sikh rape victim from Wales used the Sikh religious insignia, the Khanda, in the report. They say that suggests the Sikh religion was connected to the crimes.

The controversy arose when a major rape case in Wales came to light. A woman, who was raped repeatedly by three members of her own family, reported the incident to police. She had been abused from the age of five until she was 22.

The step-uncle, 55, was convicted of seven counts of rape, three of indecency with a child, and one of indecent assault. The stepfather and the brother-in-law, 27, were each convicted of three rapes.

During the trial, the court was told that when the woman became pregnant at 14 she was hidden away, sometimes in a wardrobe.

United Sikhs released a statement saying: “The Sikh community had been very shocked and saddened by a BBC news report, on Friday 16th Oct 2009, about a Sikh rape victim from Wales, who had suffered prolonged abuse at the hands of those she would expect to be protected by, especially from such a young age.”

“It was, therefore, a double blow for the Sikh community when they saw the irresponsible use, by the BBC in the same news report, of a Sikh religious insignia, the Khanda, and the suggestion that the Sikh religion was connected to the crimes.”

United Sikhs’s legal director Mejindarpal Kaur has written to the BBC Trust asking why the news report used the picture of the Khanda.

The latter says: “Have you have used the Cross or the Crescent and Star whenever you report on Christians and Muslims committing offences?”

It adds: “Does the BBC accept that the irresponsible use of the Khanda in the said news report could increase community tension and that it can lead to incitement of religious hatred?”

Details of the case are outlined on the BBC website here.