A shocking incident unfolded at the Hari Om Radha Krishna Mandir in the Parkway neighborhood of California, leaving the local Indian community stunned. In the early hours of Monday, burglars raided the Hindu temple, making away with a donation collection box and raising concerns within the community.
The burglary occurred at approximately 2:15 am, as reported by the Sacramento Bee newspaper. The Sacramento Police Department is actively investigating the incident, though the specifics of what was stolen have not been officially disclosed. However, dispatch audio indicated that the burglars had targeted a donation collection box within the temple premises.
According to information from dispatchers, surveillance cameras captured the presence of six suspects on the temple grounds, with two of them gaining access to the sacred space. The incident prompted a call to the police, yet as of now, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a US-based advocacy organization, strongly condemned the incident and urged the Sacramento Police Department to treat it as a potential hate crime. In a statement, they expressed their concern and called for a thorough investigation, highlighting the violation of a sacred space.
“Disturbing news from Sacramento, California where a #HinduTemple has been broken into. We ask @SacPolice to take this issue very seriously and investigate it as a potential hate crime and the violation of a sacred space. Police are asking for public help in identifying the suspects,” CoHNA posted on social media.
For Guru Maharaj and his wife, the incident unfolded while they were at home, and they received an alert. Maharaj’s wife described the unsettling moment, saying, “The first thing I saw was the curtains blowing, and I said, ‘Oh, my God. Somebody is in the building.'”
Surveillance footage from the temple revealed that the burglars attempted to breach multiple doors and a vehicle before making their way to the donation box. They quickly grabbed the box, which reportedly weighed close to 100 pounds, and then made a swift exit.
“It’s a very big hit to our community, and we’re here to help people out,” Guru Maharaj lamented.
The burglary has left the local Indian community in a state of shock, as they come to terms with the violation of their sacred space. As the investigation continues, community members hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice, and that such incidents are treated with the utmost seriousness to ensure the safety and security of all places of worship.
