A SENIOR Blackburn police officer today told how he was robbed at gunpoint by policemen during a fact-finding trip to India.

Ethnic liaison inspector Andy Pratt paid his own way in a bid to learn about the cultural background and family ties of the people he deals with every day in Lancashire.

But he was flagged down and held up by police who demanded money while he was travelling in a car with his host in the Valsad district of Gujarat, towards the end of his three-week stay.

Insp Pratt, who was otherwise delighted with the trip, said: "They only wanted peanuts, about 40p, which is nothing to visitors but it is a lot to somebody who has got nothing.

"I thought about writing a letter of complaint but it is the sort of thing that happens all the time and I didn't want it to detract from the success of the trip.

"My host was the perfect gentleman throughout my trip but it was the only time I heard him swear, he was so angry about what happened." Insp Pratt is heading a Blackburn Police initiative aimed at improving links with the Asian community, particularly youngsters.

The robbery came the week after he met local mayors, councillors and senior policemen in the Gujarat region, where the majority of the Indian people in East Lancashire come from.

He said: "I felt it was important for the job I am doing . I learnt a lot and built up some relationships which will help me.

"Having been in India and been robbed by the police I now have an idea why some Indian people in this country don't trust the police.

"But I met some really nice people and got a much deeper insight into the whole cultural aspect of the country and the very deep family ties which exist."

Insp Pratt, who returned from his trip in the middle of this month, regularly met up with people from Blackburn and Preston who were visiting their families. He also visited a Christian Mission school run by a group of nuns.

In some small villages every household has a relative living in Blackburn. He said: "It's like a grapevine stretching 7,000 miles, with everyone knowing what is going on in Blackburn."

Insp Pratt's trip was organised with the help of Ahmed Sadat, the chairman of the Blackburn-based Lancashire Council of Mosques.

Next year he is planning a similar trip to Pakistan in a bid to further improve his cultural knowledge.

Blackburn Police were due to take a coach load of Asian youngsters to an Islamic youth conference being held in Malvern, Worcestershire, today.

Camp 96 has been organised by the Islamic Society of Britain and Young Muslims Uk and will encourage young Muslims to get more involved with their religion as well as offering careers information and sporting events.

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