Fear Grips Indian Diaspora After US Temple Attack

Hyderabad:Indians living in the United States have expressed fear that growing hatred towards their community on social media is spilling into real‑world violence, following a mass shooting attempt at a Hindu temple in Illinois. They warned the incident could be a sign of more attacks to come.

The accused, 19‑year‑old Alexandros Paporakis, attempted to attack the temple with a firearm. The incident has left members of the Indian‑American community questioning whether they are still welcome in a country they once considered a land of opportunity.

An Indian resident of Kansas, who requested anonymity, said Indians were increasingly being blamed for unemployment, rising prices and the real estate market. “It is a very scary situation for Indians in the United States, irrespective of which state or city one is in. Indians are being targeted for almost everything. The hatred was online for a long time, with right‑wing trolls doxing Indians and accusing us of stealing jobs and scamming our way into universities. But the hatred is now creeping into the real world,” the resident said.

They added that Indians were facing race‑based attacks while their religious beliefs and customs were mocked online. “Even now, after the kid who tried to shoot up the Hindu temple, tens of people are calling him a ‘hero’ and ‘saviour’, even though he tried to commit a mass shooting. It really feels unsafe to be in the land of opportunity,” the resident said.

US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who was present at the temple during the incident, broke down while recounting how his elderly parents were among the worshippers inside. “My 87‑year‑old father and 80‑year‑old mother were in the temple, singing Hindu bhajans, and I was in attendance. Little did we know that a 19‑year‑old shooter was in the parking lot, with an AR‑15 weapon and 300 rounds of ammunition,” he said.

According to Krishnamoorthi, the accused fired one shot at a passer‑by before his gun jammed. He left the scene and later told a co‑worker he intended to return to finish the attack. The co‑worker alerted police, leading to his arrest.

Court documents showed the accused had described Indians, Jews, Black people and other minorities as “sub‑human” in a manifesto. Krishnamoorthi cited a report that more than 50% of South Asian adults had experienced at least one act of racial discrimination.

Mohammed Mohsin, a Hyderabad‑based student in Chicago, told Deccan Chronicle: “I was returning home from my university and went to a corner store to get some snacks. The owner said he doesn’t sell to ‘curry mongerers’ and asked me to leave. This was just after a month in the United States. I assumed I’d work here after graduation, but it feels less and less safe now.”

Krishnamoorthi said he too faced race‑induced discrimination. “A Florida elected official, two weeks ago, called for me to be deported and said ‘Take your curry and go home’.”

“The shooter was radicalised by hate and his environment. He was radicalised by social media. He told his co‑worker, ‘I cannot wait to kill Indians.’ We need to put an end to this hate,” the Congressman said.