India
oi-Ashish Rana
A Hindu temple in Richmond Heights, Ohio was attacked on Friday afternoon with bricks thrown at the building, damaging windows and other parts of the temple. The incident took place in Greater Cleveland area when priests and devotees were inside the temple. This incident has reported by Hindu community organisations.
The Shree Swaminarayan Vadtal Dham Hindu Mandir in Richmond Heights, Ohio, sustained damage from bricks thrown on Friday afternoon, shattering windows. The Hindu American Foundation flagged the incident as a possible hate crime, prompting an investigation by authorities including the FBI.
Temple Damaged In Afternoon Attack
The Shree Swaminarayan Vadtal Dham Hindu Mandir was attacked at around 1:30 PM, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said. The organisation reported that one or more attackers hurled bricks at the temple, resulting in significant damage.
Security cameras captured the incident and the footage is now being examined by authorities. HAF said it is communicating with temple officials and providing assistance as the investigation continues.
The foundation also said the FBI and its civil rights authorities were being alerted about the incident.
Hindu Groups Seek Immediate Investigation
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said several windows were shattered after bricks were thrown at the temple. The organisation did not confirm whether anyone was injured or disclose the precise number of windows damaged.
CoHNA urged Richmond Heights Mayor Kim Thomas and the city administration to publicly condemn the attack. It also called on local police to act quickly.
“We call upon Mayor Kim Thomas and @RichmondHtsOH to condemn such bigotry and @PoliceRichmond to take swift action against the perpetrator,” CoHNA said.
Update: Our local team has informed us that the perpetrator has been arrested. We will continue to monitor the developments and work with temple authorities to ensure justice is served to the full extent of the law. https://t.co/8psTszdvf1
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) October 3, 2026
Possible Hate Crime Under Investigation
HAF described the incident as a possible hate crime, although authorities have not publicly established a religious motive. No suspect has been identified and there has been no announcement of an arrest so far.
The foundation said, “This possible hate crime comes at a time of unprecedented hate & vitriol directed at the Hindu American community,” and urged law enforcement to prioritise finding those responsible.
HAF also called on elected representatives and government agencies to “publicly & unequivocally condemn hateful rhetoric against Indian and Hindu American communities.”
Attack Comes Before Navratri
The incident comes as Hindu organisations in Ohio begin activities for Hindu Heritage Month, observed by community groups across the United States during October. It also comes ahead of Navratri, an important Hindu festival.
CoHNA has previously documented attacks and vandalism involving Hindu religious sites in the US. Its timeline includes damage to a Mahatma Gandhi statue at Shri Tulsi Mandir in Queens in August 2022 and hateful graffiti at the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Newark, California, in December 2023.
BAPS temples in Melville, New York, and the Sacramento area were vandalised in September 2024. In March 2025, the BAPS temple in Chino Hills, California, was also defaced with malicious messages.
These incidents represent separate reported cases and do not, by themselves, establish a nationwide annual rise in attacks against Hindu temples.
