Temple President Seeks Police Protection After Threats Following Mandir Attack

The president of a temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has asked for police protection.

He fears for his safety. This comes after a violent attack by pro-Khalistan radicals on the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton on November 3.

Jeff Lal is the president of the Bharat Mata Mandir in Brampton.

He wrote a letter to Nishan Duraiappah. Duraiappah is the chief of Peel Regional Police (PRP).

Lal explained that he has been receiving threatening phone calls. He is worried about a personal attack on himself and his temple.

Lal is originally from Fiji. He said that he had received several blocked calls.

He is concerned for his family's safety. After learning about the attack on the Hindu Sabha Mandir, Lal called Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

He asked for more police support to protect the temple and its followers.

Lal was in Burlington for a business meeting at the time of the attack. He arrived at the temple only after the incident.

Lal has not received a response to his letter yet. He sent it after the group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) posted a video about him. In the video, they called for his arrest. They accused him of offering swords to attack Sikhs.

They also called him an "aide" to Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre. The group claimed Lal was Poilievre’s nominee for the Conservative Party.

Lal denied all these claims. He said the voice on the video was not his. He also said that he is not a nominee for the Conservative Party.

In fact, Lal quit the party earlier this year. He was unhappy with the nomination process. Bob Dosanjh Singh was chosen as the Conservative nominee for Brampton East instead of Lal.

In the SFJ post, the group questioned if the attack on the Hindu Sabha Mandir was part of a plan. They suggested it was a way to weaken Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and help Poilievre.