Stabbing weapons, many injured: SEK storm on Sikh temple in North Rhine-Westphalia

Moers (NRW) – The heavily armed men of the special operations team climb through the gardens and duck behind bushes. You can just see a few helmets moving. Everything is hermetically sealed. Shortly afterwards, the police stormed a Sikh temple in a residential area in Moers.

According to initial findings, there was a brutal altercation between more than 40 people. According to witnesses, stabbing weapons and even a firearm were also used. The police separated the groups and a hundred officers surrounded the building with submachine guns. The suspicion: There should be an armed man in the religious community’s temple. A special operations team (SEK) of the Düsseldorf police was called in and a police helicopter hovered over the area. Then the all-clear was given: no armed person was found.

“This must have been planned”

What triggered the bloody confrontation North Rhine-Westphalia was, has not yet been precisely clarified. According to initial investigations, there may have been disputes within the temple over a new board. This is also said to involve temple funds that various groups claim for themselves.

A member (56) of the congregation was an eyewitness to the brutal confrontation, said to BILD: “It must have been planned, shortly before the start of the service the attackers suddenly had pepper spray, sprayed their opponents, then one of them also fired a pistol. And I also saw knives. The background is a dispute between former board members and current ones, and it is also about the congregation’s money. There have been problems and anger for a long time. But mainly it is about the influence and who is in charge here in the temple. Than the attack began, many fled the temple outside in panic; it could have ended much worse. Fortunately, no one’s life was in danger.

Eleven people were injured in the dispute

According to BILD information, eleven people suffered injuries in the altercation. It is said to be primarily head injuries. According to initial information, no one’s life is in danger. The injured were treated at the scene by rescue workers and an emergency doctor.

At least one suspect was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car by police officers. The criminal police now want to find out who exactly attacked whom. Criminal police officers are currently securing evidence at the crime scene in the prayer house. According to BILD information, the firearm has not yet been found. According to initial findings, the casings found are a blank weapon.