The Canadian Police released photos of a car and two people who are suspected to have been in the vicinity of the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS) Gurdwara at Ross Street, Vancouver, when the building was vandalized some time last week.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) wants the public to assist them with identifying the people as part of their investigation into the vandalism.
On April 19, the KDS gurdwara in Vancouver was vandalized with pro-Khalistan graffiti, which angered the local Sikh community. VPD Sergeant Steve Addison made an appeal for help, saying, "We believe these individuals might have information regarding this crime and what the motive was. We ask anyone who recognizes the individuals in these photos, or the vehicle, to come forward and talk to our investigators."
The police said that investigators from the major crime section have been collecting and examining evidence at the crime scene and around the area. Photographs of a white pickup truck and two individuals who were in the area at the time were taken. "Police think the truck traveled through the vicinity around the time of the crime, sometime between about 4 and 4:30 a.m. on April 19. Two individuals, who are thought to be connected to the truck, then walked along the front entrance of the temple. One was dressed in a yellow cap, yellow jacket, and black pants. The other was dressed in a grey hoodie with black pants," the VPD release stated.
The probe started after the suspects vandalized the walls outside the gurdwara with graffiti in English and Punjabi. The KDS gurdwara denounced the act, calling it a deliberate effort to instill fear and divide the community. "A group of Sikh separatists, who support Khalistan, vandalized our holy walls with divisive messages such as 'Khalistan Zindabad,'" the gurdwara said in a statement. "This legislation is part of a sustained campaign by extremist elements that aim to create fear and division among the Canadian Sikh community. Their efforts subvert the values of respect, inclusivity, and support for one another that are the pillars of both Sikhism and Canadian society."
The desecration at the Vancouver gurdwara is part of a grim trend, with a similar attack last month at the Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Surrey. Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya also condemned the actions, saying, "The attacks on Hindu temples that started some years ago are still continuing unchecked today. This latest graffiti at the Hindu temple is yet another chilling reminder of the increasing prevalence of Khalistani extremism."
Arya questioned the coordinated attack and further said, "Well-coordinated, well-funded, and supported by heavy political muscle. Khalistani groups are openly exercising their authority and successfully stifling Hindu voices across Canada."
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