Canadian Police release images of Gurdwara vandalism suspects

Ottawa: The police in Vancouver have released images of a vehicle and two people suspected of vandalising the Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara on Ross Street last week.

These suspects were outside the Gurdwara when it was spray-painted with graffiti in both English and Punjabi and included the word murdabad, which means “death to”, on Saturday morning, Vancouver Sun reported.

Anyone who recognises them is asked to contact the police, Sgt. Steve Addison, a spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department, said.

He said the vehicle drove through the area around the time of the offence between 4 and 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.

“We believe these people may have information about this crime and the motivation,” said Addison.

Two people, believed to be associated with the vehicle, a truck, then walked near the front entrance of the Gurdwara, said Addison.

Police described one person as wearing a yellow cap, jacket, and black pants. The other was wearing a grey hoodie with black pants.

The Khalsa Diwan Society, which runs the Ross Street Gurdwara, in a statement blamed the vandalism on a small group of Sikh separatists advocating for Khalistan.

“This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instil fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community,” the statement said.