Canada Hindu temple vandalised; police launch manhunt to nab two ‘white male’ suspects

The Ontario police have launched a manhunt to arrest two suspects involved in vandalising the Sri Krishna Brundavana temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The officials have described the incident as an act of mischief. Community members in downtown Georgetown have called it a targeted “disheartening” attack, according to Canadian news outlet Halton Hills Today.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) said it was probing the incident, which happened around an hour past midnight on Sunday in Georgetown. The security footage indicated two suspects, both young white men in hooded sweatshirts, exiting a pub in the area prior to walking to the temple, where they were seen dismantling and destroying a sign at the entrance.

Their photos have been released so that people can identify them and alert the authorities. The Main Street South Hindu temple devotees reached the premises on Sunday morning to discover its sign torn into pieces.

Devotees and Hindu Canadian Foundation react

Kishor Shetty, a Hindu community member, said, “I was very surprised that someone would do this to a religious place in Georgetown. It was something I never expected would happen at a place people come to pray, a spiritual place. It’s totally disheartening to us.”

He added, “We live in a community where we don’t expect this kind of stuff. I understand they’re drunk, but they know what they’re doing there. They knew it was a temple. They had the intention of doing it. It’s a hate crime against Hinduism.”

“The growing influence of radical ideologies has led to hateful actions targeting Hindu Canadians and their sacred spaces. Such actions threaten the harmony of our diverse communities,” the Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) said, adding the incident “must be viewed in context” considering the increased extremism.

Not the first incident

Canada has witnessed numerous instances of Hindu temples being attacked in recent years. According to media reports, in November 2024, a pro-Khalistan protest outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton rose into an invasion, with congregants being attacked inside the premises. A Peel Regional Police sergeant was suspended for taking part in the protest, while Inderjeet Gosal, the lead organiser of the Khalistan referendum in Canada, was nabbed for his alleged action in the attack.

India had strongly condemned the incident, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating, “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.”