Three people were injured in a shooting between two groups of Sikh Referendum 2020 in Stockton Gurdwara Sahib in California. The Stockton Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at a temple Saturday night, reported Fox40. According to public information officer Joe Silva, the shooting happened during an event around Sikh Temple Street.
Police say both the suspects and victims are Sikhs and that this is an active investigation, reported Fox40. Officials were able to find three injured victims. Currently, they are being treated in the hospital with what appear to be non-life-threatening injuries.
Referendum 2020, organised by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US-based organisation declared ‘unlawful’ by the Indian government is a secessionist group. The government has banned SFJ in July 2019 under the UAPA Act for their involvement in promoting secession as well as violent militancy in Punjab as well as Sikh Referendum 2020. Their activities were aimed at creating a divide between communities and disturbing the peace and communal harmony in the State of Punjab.
On 27 August 2022, at approximately 6:40 PM, Stockton Police officers responded to a shooting near the Stockton Sikh Temple. This shooting did not occur on Gurudwara property and was not connected to the Sangat (Sikh temple congregation).
The Sikh Gurdwara said on Facebook that a weightlifting competition on its property Saturday “was done successfully without any altercation and harm to the Sangat. The altercation during this event happened outside the Gurdwara and had no link to the powerlifting event and the Gurdwara Sahib. Stockton Police Department is currently investigating the occurrence and Stockton Gurdwara Sahib Committee will update you as soon as the investigation is completed. Gurdwara Sahib Stockton is committed to the safety of the Sangat.”