Canada: Hindu temple desecrated in British Columbia; 3rd incident this year

A temple was vandalised on Saturday in Canada's British Columbia with anti-India and pro-Khalistan posters pasted on its front gate and rear wall. The objectionable posters were pasted in front of the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir. The matter had been reported to the Surrey detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP, according to the president of the temple Satish Kumar.

As per the CCTV footage, two persons, wearing masks, have been captured by temple security cameras. He said the temple had been in touch with police even earlier due to security concerns as it prepares to hold Independence Day celebrations on 20 August.

On Sunday, the temple board will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the issue.

As per the media reports, the posters read 'WANTED' under the names and photographs of India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa as well as its Consul Generals in Toronto and Vancouver.

While the second poster, pasted on the rear doors, called for Canada to investigate India’s “role” in the “assassination” of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18.

This is the third incident of temple vandalisation in Canada this year. Earlier, on 31 January, a temple was vandalised in Brampton city with anti-India graffiti.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown had condemned the incident of writing hate-filled messages directed towards India on the walls of the temple.

In April this year, another Hindu temple in Ontario was vandalised. The Windsor Police released CCTV footage showing two suspects spray painting on the walls of the Hindu temple

Recently, similar posters have appeared across Surrey. Such posters were placed outside the entrance to the building housing India’s Consulate in Vancouver on 1 August.

The posters have referred to the killing of Nijjar, the secessionist group Sikhs For Justice’s principal figure in British Columbia.

Nijjar was murdered in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Singh Gurdwara Sahib on 18 June in Surrey.