Onlykashmir.in News Desk
India has expressed deep concern over an alleged attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, in the United States. The Ministry of External Affairs has pointed to rising cases of hate crimes and racial discrimination against the Indian community there.
Addressing the media, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the incident was a matter of deep concern for India. “This is obviously a matter of deep concern for us. At the same time, it is something that shows or highlights the increasing cases of hate crimes and racial discrimination against the Indian community in the United States,” he said.
The remarks come after US media reports of a plot that was stopped before any attack took place. According to those reports, a 19-year-old man was arrested in the Chicago suburb of Palatine on October 11 after police received information about concerning electronic messages he had allegedly sent to another person. Investigators say he shared a document outlining a mass shooting plan, along with images of a rifle, a magazine, body armour and other tactical equipment. He faces charges that include making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and unlawful possession of a short-barrelled rifle.
Prosecutors have reportedly said a co-worker told them the suspect openly identified as a white supremacist and made hostile remarks about people of Indian origin, and that he allegedly spoke of planning an attack on the largest Hindu temple in Aurora. The FBI’s Chicago Field Office assisted the investigation, which also looked at a document attributed to the suspect. The Aurora Police Department was alerted and contacted Hindu places of worship in its jurisdiction to warn them. These details come from US authorities and media reports, and the allegations will be tested in court.
The Indian government’s reaction reflects a wider concern among the diaspora. Hindu temples and Indian community members in North America have in recent years faced incidents of vandalism and threats, and India has repeatedly raised such cases with the host country. The MEA’s latest comments follow that pattern, linking a specific incident to what it describes as a broader trend of hate crimes and discrimination.
For the several million people of Indian origin living in the United States, the episode is a reminder of the importance of security at places of worship and of close coordination with local law enforcement. The speed with which police and federal agencies acted in this case is likely to be noted, even as community groups call for sustained action against hate-driven violence.
