Arson Attack At Wolverhampton Gurdwara...

[Nama Singh]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4925316.stm

Three safe in fire at Sikh temple

Three men have been led to safety following a suspected arson attack at a Sikh temple in Wolverhampton.

Crews were called to the fire after two wheelie bins were found alight outside the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sikh Temple in Arthur Street in Bilston.

The fire spread to the ground floor of the building just before 0100 BST and the three people inside were freed.

Police have said they are treating the fire as arson and have asked any witnesses to contact them.

[sikh supreme]

whose targetting our gurdwara's? why aint the culprits being taken out?

From now on any gurdwara committee, which allow's their respective gurdwara to be vandalised and the culprits not brought to justice should be named and shamed. Their is no excuse for laxed secruity for our places of worship.

[Prem]

Sikh Supreme

Live in the real world. Racists attack Asians. It has been happening since time began. If a racist tries to vandalise or set fire to a gurdwara at one o'clock in the morning, you suggest holding the commitee responsible for that? I don't know Bilston gurdwara but I know it isnt a very large one - some gurdwaray there are literally just a couple of small houses knocked through. That is just ridiculous, to hold commitee members to account for that!

[WMSikhSoc]

PRESS RELEASE

-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

ARSON Attack on Wolverhampton Sikh Gurdwara.

Local priests in narrow escape

20th April 2006

Bilston, West Midlands - Three Sikh Priests were led to safety last night following an arson attempt on a Sikh Gurdwara in Bilston.

The emergency services were called out just before 0100 BST to put out fires started using two large bins placed in front of the two doors of the Temple.

Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Arthur Street is close to Bilston town centre and was attacked in what is thought to have been a racially motivated act of violence. Local residents are reported to have seen three youths running away from the Gurdwara and alerted the fire crew accordingly. The prompt response of the residents played a large part in saving the lives of the three men.

Two fires were started at separate parts of the Temple. The main worship room was saved from the fire by the aluminum shutters in place in front of the main entrance of the Gurdwara itself. The second fire burned through a side door where it spread into the communal kitchens and onto the second floor on which the priests sleeping quarters are situated.

Initial estimates place the cost of damages caused by the attack at around £20,000.

The three priests were treated for smoke inhalation and shock. Two of the priests have spoken to local residents about the trauma caused to them as a result of the arson attack. Gianni (Priest) Manohar Singh explained that although there have been incidents of racial abuse in the past, nothing was as severe as this attack, “We have received verbal and physical abuse from youths before but nothing of this level…I don’t understand what we have done to deserve this. How will be sleep at night now?”

The second Priest, Gianni Tirath Singh feared for his life after he awoke to the fire burning throughout the Gurdwara. While speaking with local residents he exclaimed : “I could see nothing but smoke around me, I couldn’t breathe and thought that this is it, we were going to die for sure.”

West Midlands Police are treating the crime as a suspected arson attack and appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information they may have by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Since 9/11 and the recent London bombings there has been an increased number of attacks on the local Sikh community in the area. Community leaders and multi faith networks are aware of the situation and are providing their full support. The community is devastated by the recent incident.

-30-

[WMSikhSoc]

[WMSikhSoc]

[Prem]

WMSikhSoc

Bro, is that press release from BOSS? I need to forward it to someone, if you have a link that would be good.

[kurtas]

whose targetting our gurdwara's? why aint the culprits being taken out?

From now on any gurdwara committee, which allow's their respective gurdwara to be vandalised and the culprits not brought to justice should be named and shamed. Their is no excuse for laxed secruity for our places of worship.

161568[/snapback]

Are you having a laugh ?

What are the Gurdwara committee meant to do ? It is the job of the police to find those responsible and take the matter further. The committee cannot do anything in this process.

[sikh supreme]

whose targetting our gurdwara's? why aint the culprits being taken out?

From now on any gurdwara committee, which allow's their respective gurdwara to be vandalised and the culprits not brought to justice should be named and shamed. Their is no excuse for laxed secruity for our places of worship.

161568[/snapback]

Are you having a laugh ?

What are the Gurdwara committee meant to do ? It is the job of the police to find those responsible and take the matter further. The committee cannot do anything in this process.

161576[/snapback]

I'm being serious ... 9/11, 7/7, lozells riots were wake up calls for committee's to increase secruity for gurdwara's because they were targetted after being mistaken for being islamic places of worship. If committees had any brains and forsight they would have implemented changes such has patrols, cctv and other such measures.

And if any attacker was killed in the process after targetting a gurdwara it would send out a message that those who dare to attack Sikh places of worship will do so at the risk of their own lives.

It's time for a radical change in how commitee's look after gurdwara's..

[Mehtab Singh]

And if any attacker was killed in the process after targetting a gurdwara it would send out a message that those who dare to attack Sikh places of worship will do so at the risk of their own lives.

Yup. And that would do a great deal in improving our image in society.