Punjab Newsline | Ohio
A Hindu temple in Ohio was attacked on Friday, causing significant damage to the premises and shattering several windows.
According to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), the Shri Swaminarayan Vadtal Dham Hindu Temple in Richmond Heights was targeted at around 1:30 pm. The attackers allegedly threw bricks at the temple building, damaging its windows.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America said priests and several devotees were inside the temple when the incident took place.
The Hindu American Foundation said CCTV footage of the incident is available and is being examined by authorities. The organisation said it has also informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and civil rights authorities about the incident.
The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA claimed that more than 15 incidents of vandalism targeting Hindu temples have been reported across the United States over the past five years, including six incidents involving BAPS temples.
The Hindu American Foundation said the Ohio incident could potentially constitute a hate crime. The organisation also expressed concern over what it described as an increase in hateful and violent rhetoric targeting the Hindu-American community in the United States.
Hindu organisations have urged law enforcement agencies to identify and arrest those responsible for the attack at the earliest. They have also called on US leaders and government agencies to unequivocally condemn hate speech and rhetoric directed against Indian and Hindu-American communities.
