Germany gurdwara clash leaves 11 injured; witnesses allege planned attack amid dispute over management and finances. Photos: X.
Germany Gurdwara Violent Clashes: A violent fight erupted at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Duisburg on Sunday in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany, involving over 40 persons. According to reports, the group was armed with pepper spray, knives, kirpans and a gun. At least 11 people were injured during the incident, leading to a large-scale police operation, according to German newspaper Bild. Although eyewitnesses attributed the violence to the gurdwara finances and management issues, there is no official confirmation of the reason behind the incident by German authorities.
The fight began Sunday afternoon and intensified, with one side claiming to have made a coordinated attack. Eyewitnesses who were quoted by Bild told that pepper spray was used to disorient those who were there and then attacks were made with knives and a gun.
One eyewitness, aged 56, told Bild, “just before the prayer service, the attackers sprayed themselves with pepper spray, then one of them fired a pistol, I saw knives.”
The same witness suggested the assault may have been planned in advance.
According to accounts cited by Bild, the violence is believed to take place from an ongoing internal dispute within the gurdwara community. The fight reportedly revolves around control of the committee, influence, and financial disagreements.
Explaining the background, the eyewitness told Bild, “the background is a dispute between former committee members and the current ones. It also involves money belonging to the community. There have been problems and trouble for quite some time. But mainly it’s about influence and who has the say here in the temple.”
In a video shared on X, a person at the scene alleged that the clash was linked to disputes over the gurdwara’s golak, a donation box used for offerings, and an attempt by the previous management to regain control after being voted out.
Over 100 officers were reportedly sent to the ground, including a Special Task Force (SEK) team based in Dusseldorf, Bild reported.
After gunfire was reported, the gurdwara was surrounded by well armed officers and a helicopter was used to provide aerial surveillance. Police, who were afraid of having an armed suspect within the building, surrounded the building before armed SeK officers (with submachine guns) entered the building.
There was no gunman inside, but at least one of the suspects was arrested.
A police spokesperson told NRZ that inquiries are “proceeding in all directions,” with the investigation covering both the violence and the underlying dispute over governance and finances.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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