Anti-Indian graffiti was found at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark, California, and the police are looking into the incident as a potential hate crime.
On Saturday, the United States denounced the destruction of a Hindu temple located in California and praised the police’s efforts to guarantee that the perpetrators face consequences. Police are looking into the possibility of a hate crime after anti-India graffiti was written on the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Newark, California. “We denounce the damage done to the Hindu temple in California, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. The US State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said in a post on social media site X, “We applaud the Newark Police Department’s efforts to make sure that those responsible are held accountable.”
The City of Newark Police Department in Newark, California, sent an email to PTI stating that they got a report of graffiti at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple on Friday at about 8:35 a.m. When police arrived, temple officials told them the vandalism was intended to scare them. According to the statement, “the vandalism is being investigated as a potential hate crime. Based on the content of the graffiti, it is believed that the defacement was a targeted act.” The defacement of the temple was fiercely criticised by the Indian Consulate General located in San Francisco. The Consulate stated on X, “We strongly condemn the defacing of SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Newark, California with anti-India graffiti.”
“The Indian community’s feelings have been damaged by this incidence. The Consulate stated, “We have pushed for a swift investigation and swift action against the vandals by the US authorities in this situation. Images shared on social media purport that the name “Khalistan” and other offensive graffiti were spray-painted on a sign post outside the shrine.
