A 17-year-old British teen entered a Gurudwara in Gravesend, UK and started attacking the devotees with a Kirpan on Thursday. The incident is currently being considered a hate crime as per the authorities. The miscreant was controlled and detained by the police with the help of the devotees. He is currently in custody and is being interrogated.
According to reports, a suspected hate-motivated extremist attacked Guru Nanak Darbar Gurudwara in Gravesend, UK on Thursday morning. At that time, devotees were paying obeisance in the Gurudwara premises. Eyewitnesses report that he entered the Gurudwara premises posing as a Sikh devotee. While bowing his head, he picked up a kirpan and moved towards the devotees, attacking anyone who came in front of him.
Two women were severely injured in this entire incident, while some devotees suffered minor injuries. One woman was stabbed in the hand, while another's arm and hand were lacerated due to the knife. The injured have been taken to the hospital for treatment. The injured women say that if the congregation had not controlled the accused, he would have killed them. They claim that he had come to the Gurudwara premises with the intent to kill.
After the incident, the crowd of devotees present in the Gurudwara tried to control the youth. The police standing outside the Gurudwara premises also into action. Initial investigation has revealed that the youth caught is a British citizen aged 17 years.
According to the police spokesperson - Kent Police was called at 8.10 pm on Thursday 11 July on the information of disturbance in the Gurudwara located at Saddington Street in Gravesend. It was told that two people have been injured. The attack is not being considered fatal and the injured are being treated locally.
According to the police, a resident informed Kent Police about the incident. Police helicopters have been circling over the city center since the incident. Shortly after the incident, the air ambulance landed on the grounds of the Gurudwara and provided facilities to the injured.