Devotees inside, Hindu temple vandalised in US ahead of Navratri; bricks thrown, windows smashed, FBI alerted over possible hate crime

Hindu-American groups have described the incident as a possible hate crime and urged authorities to act quickly. Police are reviewing CCTV footage, while the FBI and US Justice Department have also been alerted.

Edited By: Analiza Pathak

Published: October 3, 2026, 4:10 PM IST

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Devotees inside, Hindu temple vandalised in Ohio ahead of Navratri; bricks thrown, windows smashed, FBI alerted over possible hate crime (Image: X.com @CoHNAOfficial)

A Hindu temple in Ohio’s Greater Cleveland area was attacked with bricks on Friday afternoon, damaging the building and breaking its windows. Priests and devotees were reportedly inside the temple when the incident took place. The attack took place at the Shree Swaminarayan Vadtal Dham Hindu Mandir in Richmond Heights at around 1:30 pm, according to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). The organisation said one or more people threw bricks at the temple, causing significant damage.

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said several priests and devotees were inside the temple at the time. It has not been confirmed whether anyone was injured in the incident.

Hindu groups have described the incident as a possible hate crime and called for quick action against those responsible. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the motive behind the attack.

The HAF said surveillance footage from the temple was available and was being examined by law enforcement agencies. The organisation has also alerted the FBI and the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice about the incident.

CoHNA urged Richmond Heights Mayor Kim Thomas and local authorities to condemn the attack. It also called on the Richmond Heights Police Department to identify those responsible and take action.

#Breaking: This afternoon, in a fresh incident of Hinduphobia, the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple Vadtaldham, in the greater Cleveland area, Ohio, was attacked and vandalized with bricks, shattering widows while priests and some devotees were inside.

This comes as Hindus in… pic.twitter.com/WW3KIl2XEe

— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) October 2, 2026

The incident has come as Hindu Americans in Ohio prepare to observe Hindu Heritage Month and celebrate Navratri. The timing has added to concerns among community members, although investigators have not said whether the upcoming religious celebrations were connected to the attack.

The HAF said the incident comes amid concerns raised by Hindu-American organisations about hate and hostility directed towards the community. It has asked elected officials and government agencies to speak out against hateful rhetoric targeting Hindu and Indian-American communities.

The Ohio incident also comes against the backdrop of earlier cases of vandalism at Hindu religious sites in the US. CoHNA has documented incidents including damage to a Gandhi statue at Shri Tulsi Mandir in Queens, New York, in 2022 and hateful graffiti at the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Newark, California, in 2023. BAPS temples in New York and California were also vandalised in 2024, while a BAPS temple in Chino Hills, California, was defaced with hateful messages in 2025.

For now, investigators are examining CCTV footage and other evidence to determine who carried out the attack and why the temple was targeted. No suspect or confirmed motive has been publicly identified so far.