• Germany edition
Society
Photo: DPA

Leading Hindu priest attacked at home

Published: 11 Nov 12 12:34 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20121111-46099.html

At least five masked men have brutally attacked and robbed Siva Sri Paskarakurukkal, Germany's most well-known Hindu priest, it was reported Sunday.

At around 11pm on Friday, the men used axes to smash down the door of the 49-year-old's family home in the town of Hamm-Uentrop in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Bild newspaper reported.

The men sprayed pepper spray in his face, and demanded cash and valuables from the nine people in the house at the time.

They then tied up the Hindu family, and stole valuable religious objects from the neighbouring temple, which they then vandalized.

In all, the criminals reportedly spent over two hours in the house and the temple before making their escape. The priest's 44-year-old wife managed to free herself and call the police around 20 minutes later.

The cost of the damage was estimated at close to €100,000.

Paskarakurukkal moved to Germany from Sri Lanka in 1983. He founded his first temple in a home for asylum seekers, before moving it into a disused bowling alley.

The holy building vandalized on Friday was completed in 2002, and is now the biggest Tamil temple in Europe.

The Local/bk

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

13:59 November 11, 2012 by Gulabjamun
Deplorable.
18:42 November 11, 2012 by mo_slum
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
18:51 November 11, 2012 by joysonabraham
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
19:02 November 11, 2012 by smart2012
it seems it is becoming more and more dangerous living in Germany when u are from a different cultre / religious. Hope I am mistaking
20:40 November 11, 2012 by Englishted
@joysonabraham

I hope I can take this comment with the irony it was intended.

But it is close to the do not pass line.
21:41 November 11, 2012 by mo_slum
@smart2012

I do hope you are mistaking too. Considering that Germans have a more positive attitude towards eastern religions like Hindu/Buddhism/Sikhism/Shintoism and others, this is certainly not a major crime to be concerned about. There are always rogue elements in a society towards the minorities.

@joysonabraham

Ok, the axes may say it is the their own people. Then what about the pepper spray? If it is their own people why would they vandalize their place of worship? Hindus may rob their own temples but they do not vandalize places of worship.
21:45 November 11, 2012 by joysonabraham
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
22:25 November 11, 2012 by northeastwestsouth
many seem to want to cook up racial angle.
22:27 November 11, 2012 by joysonabraham
@mo_slum

simple, may be just to divert attention.

I was just interpreting what is there in the news and i was talking about criminals who are possibly from Asian origin.

Most of them surely will be able to use an axe better than Europeans.

By my comment i didn't mean those Asians can only be Hindus.

Don't think as if every one who comment here has only one intention that is to offend Hindus.

I just want say before jumping into usual hate crime band wagon better be open for this angle of own people too.

One more thing -

Criminals are all the same. Never will they behave differently if they are Hindus.

Its pathetic that some guys like you just want to venerate their religion/ideologies every where possible by that kind of /similar statements.
22:52 November 11, 2012 by APAP
@joysonabraham

Axe is not used in any other parts..? hahaha.. then the news some weeks back ( http://www.thelocal.de/society/20121020-45675.html) must be from that part and not Berlin.. or.. is Berlin in that part?.. Hope you know better..
23:02 November 11, 2012 by mo_slum
@northeastwestsouth

I agree with you. One crime hits the news media and a racial group is picked up and is stereotyped. Unfortunate!

@joysonabraham

.....Its pathetic that some guys like you just want to venerate..... HUH? Where did this come from? What did I say here that suggests that I am venerating my religion and ideologies?
23:08 November 11, 2012 by joysonabraham
@APAP

I didn't say never ever. I said more than in Europe. In all my

Comments I was talking about probability not about 100%.

@mo_slum

Then what else you did with

" Hindus may rob their own temples but they do not vandalize places of worship"
01:26 November 12, 2012 by mo_slum
@joysonabraham

From my observations (just like your Axe crimes observations), I did notice Hindus may rob their own temples but do not vandalize places of worship.

Where is the .....venerate their religion/ideologies..... part coming from?
04:56 November 12, 2012 by tangent_pov
We are too cute to be humans. Regardless of what news/topic is on the headline we always end up on same religious or racial discussion. No wonder society is in decadence.
11:46 November 12, 2012 by joysonabraham
@mo_slum

Good then Your argument sounds quiet possible too.
12:06 November 12, 2012 by deepu_ca
It is really unfortunate thing to happen. As I was there at the temple on Friday, it is really shocking to learn about the incident. Being humans, we should respect each other and their religion as well as cultural practices. These are precious...like biodiversity and its conservation, we should also pay equal attention towards cultural diversity conservation.
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