London: The British police are said to have spent a whopping 100,000 pounds trying to adapt a helmet to fit over a Sikh policeman’s turban, days after the Indian-origin cop accused them of racial discrimination.

The row started when senior officers turned down the application of the Sikh policeman to join the counterterrorist unit, saying that normal protective helmets and gasmasks would not fit over his turban and beard.

So he was given 18 months on full pay to contact manufacturers asking if they could adapt the equipment, which protects against chemical or biological attacks. But when that failed to produce a solution, he went on a sick leave.

The identity of the cop with the West Midlands Police has been kept secret. A senior police officer told British tabloid The Sun: “You can’t do the job without the proper equipment but when this officer’s application was turned down, he claimed of being discriminated against.

“He was allowed to look into the problem. We reckon with his wages that cost up to 100,000 pounds over the 18 months. Then he went on the long-term sick as soon as going back to his normal police job.”

A spokesman for the West Midlands Police defended the amount spent.

“As an employer committed to equality and diversity, we are working to try and find a solution to what is a national issue.”

However, John Mellor, a former superintendent in the force, said: “This is health and safety gone mad. Sikhs fought bravely for the British for centuries wearing their turbans. If this officer wishes to be in the OSU, he should be able to carry out his duties without the equipment.”

Source : DNA