Canada Hindu temple attack: Fresh arrest made amid fear of more clashes
Canada’s Peel Region Police made a fresh arrest on Saturday in connection with the violent altercation at a Hindu temple in Brampton on November 3.
Investigators from the 21 Division Criminal Investigations Bureau and Strategic Investigation Team (SIT) charged 35-year-old Inderjeet Gosal of Brampton with assault with a weapon.
Gosal was arrested on November 8, following a demonstration at the Hindu Sabha temple, where Khalistani extremists attacked Hindu-Canadian devotees.
The demonstration, which took place on The Gore Road, escalated into physical violence, with individuals using flags and sticks as weapons. Police began investigating several offences, many captured on video, and are continuing to analyse footage to identify other suspects.
Gosal was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. The police have formed a Strategic Investigative Team to continue looking into the incidents from November 3 and 4. They said that these investigations take time and arrests are made as individuals are identified.
On Saturday, Canadian MP Chandra Arya condemned the attack and criticised politicians for misrepresenting the incident as a Hindu-Sikh issue.
Tensions in Brampton have escalated following the violent clash. The conflict started when protesters carrying Khalistani flags interrupted a consular event that was co-organized by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate. Social media videos depict fistfights and individuals hitting each other with poles on the temple grounds.
Widespread condemnation
The attack on the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, Canada, by Khalistani extremists, has sparked widespread condemnation from Canadian politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, Toronto MP Kevin Vuong, and MP Chandra Arya. The Toronto MP stated, “Our country’s leaders have failed to protect Hindus.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack in a post on X, writing, “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.”
The Indian High Commission in Canada also condemned the “violent disruption” by ‘anti-India’ elements outside a consular camp.
In response to the attack, the Hindu Canadian Foundation, a non-profit organisation advocating for the Hindu community, shared a video showing the assault on the temple, claiming that Khalistani terrorists attacked women and children.
The High Commission further stated that any future events would be organised “contingent on security arrangements” made by local authorities.