Another Hindu Temple Vandalized in the US: Indiana’s BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir Targeted Days Before Janmashtami

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International News: The series of attacks on Hindu temples in the United States continues, with yet another incident reported earlier this week. On August 10, miscreants vandalized the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Greenwood City, Indiana, damaging its main signboard and defacing parts of the premises with hateful graffiti.

According to reports, the walls and signboard of the temple were spray-painted with anti-India and anti-Hindu slogans. The act of desecration has sparked outrage among the Indian diaspora and religious communities in the US.

Indian Consulate Condemns the Incident

The Consulate General of India in Chicago condemned the vandalism in strong terms, describing it as “reprehensible” and unacceptable. In an official statement posted on social media platform X, the consulate confirmed that the matter has been raised with US law enforcement authorities.

“We have urged for prompt and decisive action against those responsible. The desecration of the main signboard of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Greenwood is deeply disturbing,” the statement read. The consulate also called on local communities and temple authorities to remain vigilant to prevent further incidents.

A Pattern of Targeted Attacks

This is not an isolated occurrence. The latest vandalism marks the fourth such attack on Hindu temples in the US within the past year. The timing of the incident, just days before the Hindu festival of Krishna Janmashtami on August 16, has added to the distress among devotees.

Earlier this year, in March, another BAPS temple—this time in California—was similarly targeted. Unknown individuals defaced the temple walls with offensive messages. At that time, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had strongly condemned the act, calling it “abhorrent” and urging US authorities to ensure the culprits faced strict punishment.

Impact on the Indian Diaspora

Such recurring acts of vandalism have created a climate of unease among the 5-million-strong Indian-American community. Many see these incidents as part of a larger trend of religiously motivated hate crimes in the West, where Hindu temples have increasingly been the target of graffiti, break-ins, and defacement.

Community leaders in Indiana have appealed for solidarity and have urged both local officials and federal agencies to address the rise in such attacks. They stress that protecting places of worship is essential to upholding America’s commitment to religious freedom and multicultural harmony.

As investigations into the Greenwood temple vandalism continue, community members hope for swift arrests and stronger preventive measures to ensure the safety and sanctity of Hindu places of worship across the US.

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