The vandalism incident involved graffiti being written on the walls of the temple, marking the fourth such incident targeting Hindu temples in Australia
The Queensland Police in Australia have recently shed light on the ongoing investigation into the alleged vandalism at a Hindu temple in Brisbane that occurred on March 3, 2023. This revelation comes in response to a Right to Information Act (RTI) application filed by Bhabishan Singh Goraya, a Sikh activist and author. The incident initially raised suspicions of Sikh involvement but has since been shrouded in uncertainty and questions, as reported by nriaffairs.com.
Goraya’s RTI application yielded a response from the Queensland Police dated September 5, 2023, which provided insight into the status of the case. In response to this request, the Queensland Police released a total of five complete and seven partial investigation documents to Goraya. Goraya had alleged that Sikhs were unfairly accused of vandalism without a thorough inquiry. The incident took place at the Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple located at 45 Daymer Street, Burbank, Queensland 4156.
The vandalism incident involved graffiti being written on the walls of the temple, marking the fourth such incident targeting Hindu temples in Australia. Some news outlets initially reported that pro-Khalistan Sikhs and ‘supporters of the Indian political party Indian National Congress’ were responsible for the act. The Australia Today website quoted temple president Satinder Shukla, who expressed shock and disappointment over the vandalism, with the headline reading, “Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple vandalized by Khalistan supporters in Brisbane.” Several Indian news sites echoed this report.
The investigation faced significant challenges, mainly due to the non-functioning of CCTV cameras at the temple during the time of the incident. The report revealed that there were 27 CCTV cameras initially installed at the temple, with an additional three added later, making it a total of 30 CCTV cameras on-site. The police were unable to determine whether this was due to a technical malfunction or a deliberate shutdown aimed at facilitating the offense. The investigation raised the possibility that the CCTV cameras were intentionally turned off.
Intriguingly, the report suggested an alternative theory, speculating that individuals within the Hindu community itself might have carried out the graffiti as a means to divert police attention toward the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group, implicating them in the vandalism.
The Queensland State Police disclosed investigation documents indicating their readiness to close the case due to a lack of leads and suspects. The investigators also proposed a theory that a serial offender, who had previously engaged in similar acts in Victoria, might have infiltrated the Brisbane Sikh rally on March 4.
As the debate continues, the possibility of further developments providing greater clarity and closure in this puzzling case remains uncertain. Copies of the police response to the RTI can be found on Jindaginama.com for comprehensive details of the investigation
Notably, similar incidents of vandalism occurred at other Australian temples, including Melbourne and Karrum Downs (Victoria), around the same time as the Brisbane incident. These acts coincided with Sikh political rallies held in Melbourne on January 29 and Brisbane on March 2, 2023.
The police report highlighted the absence of suspects and witnesses in the case and mentioned that the temple management, presumably the complainants, couldn’t provide any CCTV footage. It also raised concerns about whether the temple management had prior knowledge of the incident, as video footage of the vandalism was uploaded to social media on the same night before 10 PM.
The report briefly mentioned a separate incident on July 3, 2023, when a fire occurred at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Initially, the fire brigade suspected consulate staff’s involvement in the fire.
There were also concerns raised about interference from the Indian consulate, which had advised the temple to install CCTV cameras, leading some to view this advisory as unwarranted interference in Australian affairs.
The press release and report revealed a broader context of tensions and suspicions involving the Sikh community, particularly concerning allegations of vandalism and political activities. It referenced a previous incident involving a student named Vishal Jood, who had been imprisoned and later deported from Australia for an attack on Sikhs. Upon his return to India, Jood received a warm welcome and support from certain Indian officials, sparking allegations of support for hate against Sikhs.
The decision of the Queensland police to close the vandalism case at the Brisbane Hindu temple raises questions about the true nature of the incident and those responsible. With a lack of concrete evidence and multiple theories in play, the matter remains unresolved, and concerns linger about the implications for the Sikh community and potential interference from external entities.
As the debate continues, the possibility of further developments providing greater clarity and closure in this puzzling case remains uncertain. Copies of the police response to the RTI can be found on Jindaginama.com for comprehensive details of the investigation.
In a related development, the microblogging handle ‘Tracking Hate Against Sikhs’ has compiled a thread titled “Decoding the Dirty ‘Mafia’ of Sikh Haters, Right Ring Extremists & BJP, and How They Work in Tandem to Defame Sikhs in India & Abroad.” This thread explores how various news sites in Australia and India reported a series of incidents involving graffiti on the walls and acts of vandalism targeting Hindu temples.
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