Two Injured in Attack at Edmonton Gurdwara; Suspect Arrested
Police Investigating Possible Hate-Motivated Attack; Reports Say Assailant Tried to harm Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Babushahi Bureau
Edmonton/Chandigarh, August 21, 2026: Two people were injured after an intruder allegedly attacked them at Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple in Edmonton early Friday morning. A suspect has been arrested and is in police custody.
According to the Edmonton Police Service, officers responded to the incident at around 5:08 a.m. at the Nanaksar Sikh Temple near 14 Street and Horsehill Road. Two men were treated at the scene for injuries that police initially described as non-life-threatening.
Gurdwara sources said the two injured men were Sikh priests/granthis who were allegedly stabbed while attempting to stop the assailant from damaging a holy scripture. One source reportedly said that one of the priests sustained an injury to the head. These details had not been independently confirmed by police at the time of reporting.
Reports from the Sikh community further alleged that the intruder attempted to desecrate or harm Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the central scripture of Sikhism, during the incident.
Police have arrested one suspect and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack. The motive, including whether the incident was hate-motivated, had not been officially confirmed by police at the time of this report. The Edmonton Police Service has a dedicated Hate Crimes Unit that investigates crimes where bias, prejudice or hate may be a motivating factor.
The gurdwara wasclosed for four five hours following the incident as police conducted their investigation and was later reopened to the public.
The attack comes amid heightened concern within the Sikh community in Alberta. A day earlier, Calgary Police had confirmed investigations into threatening calls made to two Sikh gurdwaras in northeast Calgary, including threats directed at the Dashmesh Culture Centre.
Further details about the identity of the suspect, the exact nature of the injuries, possible charges and the motive are expected to emerge following the police briefing.
Wso has lao condemned the attack stating it an "anti-Sikh Hate-Attack."