Canadian authorities have arrested Jagdish Pandher, a 41-year-old resident of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), in connection with a string of burglaries targeting temples in Ontario. The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) confirmed Pandher’s arrest, linking him to a series of break-ins at Hindu temples in recent months.
Pandher faces charges for numerous offences and is currently in custody pending a bail hearing. The arrest follows surveillance footage showing a man breaking into a Hindu temple on October 8, stealing a substantial amount of cash from donation boxes. The same individual was captured on video committing additional break-and-enter incidents at temples in Pickering and Ajax later that morning.
DRPS investigators have connected Pandher to several other temple break-ins throughout the year, spanning locations in Durham Region and the GTA. Despite the offences occurring at places of worship, authorities clarified that they do not appear to be hate crimes or driven by hate.
In a spree that began in September, at least six Hindu temples were targeted, including the Devi Mandir in Pickering, Sankat Mochan Mandir in Ajax, and the Hindu Mandir Durham in Oshawa. Additional temples affected include the Chintpurni Temple in Brampton, the Rameshwar Mandir in Caledon, and the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga.
These incidents follow a series of similar break-ins in late 2021 and early 2022, totaling at least 18 occurrences that raised concern within the Indo-Canadian community. In March 2022, Peel Regional Police identified Pandher among four individuals arrested in connection with these burglaries. The other arrested individuals were Gursharnjeet Dhindsa, Parminder Gill, and Gurdeep Pandher.
While most targeted locations were Hindu temples, the incidents also included Jain temples and Sikh gurdwaras, reflecting a broader pattern of temple robberies that authorities have been investigating in the region.
Sources By Agencies
