LONDON: A video showing a Sikh man being brutally beaten up on a crowded street in Birmingham, the UK's second-largest city, went viral on the internet, prompting the police to launch a probe into the suspected hate crime.

The video, titled 'Singh Brutally Beaten in Birmingham', was posted online on the Daily Sikh Updates Facebook page.

It shows a Sikh man desperately trying to protect his face as a man punches and kicks him while a crowd looks on.

"It is unknown why the Singh was attacked, but the suspects are on the loose. A person can be seen on the doorway unconscious and probably the first victim of the attack. The bystanders refused to help the two victims until a person from the crowd comes in towards the end of the video," the website said in its appeal for information.

It also claims the suspects involved in the attack are Muslim, but West Midlands police are yet to confirm or deny that report.

The police have urged the victim to come forward as they investigate if the attack was religiously motivated.

"We are aware of a video posted on the internet which appears to show a man being assaulted on Broad Street in Birmingham on Sunday. It has been suggested the attack was religiously motivated. We would like to reassure people we take such reports extremely seriously and the matter will be investigated," a police spokesperson said.

"We are currently making inquiries to establish exactly what has happened but at this stage, nobody has come forward to tell us they've been assaulted. I would encourage the man who appears to be the victim to contact us, along with anyone else who was there at the time and can give us any further details."