An investigation has concluded after a man allegedly damaged a Gutka Sahib — a Sikh religious book — at a Brampton Gurdwara, Peel police say.
According to police, the incident occurred on Wednesday, Dec. 2 in the area of Ebenezer Road and Nexus Avenue in Brampton.
They said that a man visited the Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar on Ebenezer Road and was provided with Holy Scripture, specifically, a Sukhmani Sahib Gutka.
Investigators say it’s believed he was responsible for causing damage to the Gutka Sahib. The incident was reported to police on Thursday.
In a news release Saturday, Peel police said based on evidence discovered by the investigators and working with the Gurdwara and the community, they’ve concluded that this was an isolated incident that was not hate or politically motivated.
They were able to identify the man through assistance from his family, they said.
“Due to the privacy rights of the individual involved, we cannot share further specific details of the investigation,” the release said.
They stated they “understand the impact that this incident has had on the community and have worked with community partners to alleviate concerns and address questions that may have arisen.” Police said they take incidents targeting religious property seriously.
On Friday, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said in a tweet that he hopes those responsible are brought to justice and held accountable. He has not posted an update since the investigation concluded.
We have gotten reports from residents that someone took sacred Sikh Scriptures from Gurudwara Dasmesh Darbar and desecrated them. We have asked <a href=”https://twitter.com/PeelPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@PeelPolice</a> to look into this matter immediately. I hope those responsible are brought to justice and held accountable. <a href=”https://twitter.com/iHarkiratSingh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@iHarkiratSingh</a>
—@patrickbrownont
