US commission urges action over attacks on Sikh shrines in India
US religious freedom watchdog calls for linking security assistance to protection of religious minorities amid attacks on Sikh places of worship
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A U.S. government religious freedom watchdog has raised concerns over attacks targeting Sikh places of worship in India and urged Washington to link security assistance to New Delhi’s response to violence against religious minorities.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent bipartisan federal body, warned that recent attacks on Sikh gurdwaras, or places of worship, threatened religious freedom and called for stronger accountability.
“Over the last several weeks, Sikh gurdwaras in India have been targeted with vigilante attacks, including attempts to harm religious leaders,” USCIRF Commissioner Anderson said.
Anderson urged Washington to condition security assistance on India’s efforts to prevent violence that restricts religious freedom.
Another commissioner, Joe Grogan, said attacks on churches, gurdwaras and mosques violated internationally recognized religious freedom protections.
“The U.S. government should continue to press the Indian government to hold perpetrators of such violence accountable and protect places of worship,” Grogan said.
The statements followed two shooting incidents at Sikh shrines in Punjab’s Ludhiana district in late October, although subsequent police investigations raised questions about the circumstances surrounding both attacks.
On October 27, a masked gunman fired shots at Gurdwara Sri Gopalsar Sahib in Gagra village near Jagraon and left a threatening letter.
The following day, two masked men entered Gurdwara Manji Sahib in Rajoana Kalan village and fired toward the room of its head caretaker, Baldev Singh, who escaped unharmed.
Police initially examined whether the incidents were connected but later concluded they were unrelated.
In the Gagra case, investigators alleged that the shrine’s chief caretaker, Baba Amarjit Singh, had arranged the shooting to obtain police protection. Authorities arrested an aide and registered a criminal case against the caretaker.
In the second incident, police arrested Raj Singh, also known as Raju, on November 2, alleging that the shooting was intended to intimidate and extort money from the shrine’s caretaker.
Singh died in police custody hours after his arrest. His family accused police of torturing him, while authorities attributed his death to pre-existing medical conditions. A judicial magistrate ordered an inquiry into the circumstances of his death.
The USCIRF’s intervention comes amid longstanding international criticism of India’s treatment of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, who have faced attacks on places of worship, discriminatory policies and violence linked to Hindu nationalist groups.
In its 2026 annual report, the commission recommended that the U.S. State Department designate India a “Country of Particular Concern,” a classification reserved for governments responsible for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
It also recommended targeted sanctions against individuals and organizations implicated in serious abuses and urged Washington to link security assistance and trade policies to improvements in religious freedom protections.
Established by the U.S. Congress, USCIRF monitors religious freedom worldwide and advises American policymakers, although its recommendations are not binding.
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