Canadian police have arrested a 35-year-old Brampton resident accused of assault with a weapon during a violent protest at a Hindu temple in the city, officials said.
On November 3, a protest took place at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton and unverified videos circulated on social media showed protesters holding Khalistani flags. The video shows fighting in the grounds around the temple and people attacking each other with sticks.
Peel Regional Police responded to a dispute during a demonstration at the temple. The demonstration turned physical and aggressive as tensions between the opposing sides escalated, it said in a statement on Saturday.
Police began investigating several crimes that occurred during the demonstration, many of which were captured on video; It said that this also includes people using flags and sticks to attack people.
Investigators from the 21 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Strategic Investigations Team (SIT) have arrested and charged Indrajit Gosal, of Brampton, a Peel police statement said.
Gosal is the Canada coordinator of the banned group Sikhs for Justice, the Toronto Star reports.
On November 8, 2024, he was arrested and charged with assault with a weapon. It says he has been released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.
A SIT dedicated to investigating the criminal incidents during the incidents of 3 and 4 November has been formed.
On 3 November, protesters carrying Khalistani flags clashed with people and disrupted a consular event co-organized by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate.
Sunday’s incident was condemned by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely.
India condemned the attack with the expectation that those involved in the violence “will be prosecuted”.
The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that New Delhi remains “deeply concerned” about the safety of Indian nationals in Canada.
Relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of “possible” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd”.
India has been saying that the main issue between the two countries is Canada’s exemption of Khalistani elements operating from Canadian soil.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
