A 17-year-old boy was taken in custody after he launched an attack at a gurdwara in Kent, south-east England with a 'bladed weapon' that injured two women, local police said on Friday. Kent Police were called to the Sri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara on Thursday evening after reports of a male entering the place of worship and attempting to assault attendees. The Gurdwara, one of the largest in Europe, confirmed that the 'Guru Granth Sahib Ji' was not in the Darbar Hall at the time.
“It was reported that a male had entered the location and attempted to assault those in attendance whilst armed with a bladed weapon. Nobody was seriously injured during the incident but two women required medical attention for cuts and bruises,” Kent Police said, PTI reported.
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The arrest of a teenage boy was made on suspicion of attempted murder and a religiously aggravated public order offence. Police recovered a weapon from the scene. Police have classified the event as an "isolated incident," with no other suspects being sought.
“We understand the community’s concerns in relation to the events at the gurdwara, however we are treating it as an isolated incident,” said Detective Superintendent Ian Dyball of Kent Police. “Patrols will remain in the area for reassurance and we thank the community for their ongoing support and assistance,” he also said.
The gurdwara’s management team noted that their security team immediately identified the suspect and contacted the police. “A person has been arrested by Kent Police on suspicion of attempted murder, after entering the gurdwara and creating an incident in one of the Darbar Halls. We can confirm that the incident happened after Sukhasan and 'Guru Granth Sahib Ji' were not present in the Darbar Hall,” according to a gurdwara statement.
“The gurdwara is cooperating fully with Kent Police who are treating the incident very seriously, with the District Commander on site to support whilst the investigation is ongoing,” the statement also read.
Local MP Dr. Lauren Sullivan expressed her shock and sadness over the incident, pleading with the community to avoid speculating on the motive. “I would like to thank the emergency services for their swift response to this awful event. Full details are still emerging and there are many rumours running about, so it is right that we let the emergency services deal with the situation and complete their investigation,” she said.
The historic gurdwara is described as a place of “unique scale”, which is inspired by the Golden Temple in Amritsar and uses hand-crafted marble and stonework.