Teenager arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Sikh temple attack

A Sikh worshipper said he “tried to tackle” a sword-wielding teenage raider who attempted to assault people at a gurdwara in Kent on Thursday.

Avtar Singh, 44, said he and other worshippers chased the boy, who was brandishing two swords in the Siri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend.

A 17-year-old from Gravesend was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and a religiously aggravated public order offence after police were called to the gurdwara at 8.10pm on Thursday.

Kent Police said nobody was seriously injured during the incident, but two women required medical attention for cuts and bruises.

A bladed weapon was recovered from the scene, and footage showed a blood-covered male being detained by police officers and members of the public. Nobody else is being sought in connection with the incident.

‘I didn’t know what was going on’

Mr Singh explained that he tackled a man who he said was brandishing two swords in the gurdwara. He said: “We’d been told, suddenly, everyone just go out of the temple, and I was just wondering what they were saying it like that.

“So I was sending my kids and missus downstairs, and as soon as I heard they were calling me ‘Avtar, Avtar – come upstairs’ I just went upstairs, I didn’t know what was going on.

“When I went into the hall, the guy was sitting there on the money pot – sitting there with the two swords in his hands and nothing on his head. I can’t see that – this is against our religion.

“I just went straight to him, tried to tackle him – he put a sword onto me as well, then I fell on the floor, then we hit him with the thing to try to hold him, he fell on the floor as well.

“Then he ran away around the other side, he ran around the other way, and we chased him all the way along to the Trinity School and then two Indian lads stopped him there, held him, and by that time the police came.”

Police patrols will remain in area

Det Supt Ian Dyball, of Kent Police, said: “We understand the community’s concerns in relation to the events at the gurdwara. However, we are treating it as an isolated incident.

“Patrols will remain in the area for reassurance, and we thank the community for their ongoing support and assistance.”

Speaking to Kent Online, one local resident said: “The police helicopter was circling over the town centre at around 8pm. Shortly afterwards, the air ambulance landed in the grounds of the gurdwara.

“There were two ambulances and five police vehicles parked in Trinity Road, which was taped off by Holy Trinity primary school. A neighbour said that she’d heard that two people had been stabbed inside the gurdwara with a large knife.”

Lauren Sullivan, the Labour MP for Gravesend, said: “I am shocked and saddened by the incident at the gurdwara in Gravesend this evening. My thoughts are with those hurt, the family, and their community.

“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 it, so it is right that we let the emergency services deal with the situation and complete their investigation and release the information as they can.”

Dan Jarvis , the security minister, said he was being kept updated about the attack. In a message on X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “All communities must be safe in their places of worship.”

Temple security team called police

Jagdev Singh Virdee, the Gravesend gurdwara spokesman, said the temple’s security team had called police after seeing the alleged attacker.

He said: “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.

“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 person was spotted by the gurdwara security team and police were called immediately.”

He said the incident happened after Sukhasan, a Sikh closing ritual, had taken place.