A Muslim grave has been vandalized and its tombstone smashed at a cemetery in the UK. This incident has prompted British police to launch an investigation as the family of the late Syed Itrat Hussain, hints at this being a hate crime.

His son, Naveed says that his father’s headstone had been smashed. The family initially thought that the damage to the grave was the result of its ground collapsing.

The incident is believed to have happened over the past fortnight in the Muslim section of Pleasington cemetery within the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, England.

UN rights experts have found systemic racism in the UK not only resulting in hate crimes against minorities, but also leading to the erosion of the rights of people of colour. The incident comes amid rising Islamophobia in the UK.

A poll conducted by the Savanta ComRes found that 69 percent of Muslims employed in the UK experienced Islamophobic behaviour during work-related engagements.