Elite German police units stormed the gurdwara after chaos erupted among rival groups, as worshippers fled in panic and emergency crews treated multiple injured devotees at the scene.
BY PC Bureau
April 21, 2026 — A violent confrontation inside a Sikh gurdwara in western Germany has left at least 11 people injured, triggering a major police operation and shocking the local Sikh community after scenes of chaos unfolded inside a place of worship.
The clash erupted at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in the Duisburg area of Moers, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where around 40 people were reportedly involved in a fierce brawl linked to a long-running internal dispute over the gurdwara’s management and finances.
Videos circulating on social media showed men engaged in violent hand-to-hand fighting inside the temple complex, with some wielding kirpans, knives and other sharp-edged weapons. Witnesses also reported the use of pepper spray to disorient opponents, while panic spread among worshippers gathered shortly before a scheduled prayer service. Several devotees fled the premises in fear as the violence escalated.
The incident prompted a massive police response, with nearly 100 officers, including elite SEK special tactical units, deployed to secure the gurdwara after reports of gunfire raised fears of an armed suspect inside the building. A police helicopter was also reportedly used during the operation as authorities surrounded the premises and later stormed the site.
Jatts (pretending to be Sikhs)Gurdwara in Duisburg, Germany.
Jatts fighting inside, turbans in the air, kirpans (meant to protect the weak) turned on each other. This all started over control of money (golok)
The previous management, who lost the election, came forcefully to… pic.twitter.com/VdWx6cqhbf— Harman Singh Kapoor (@kingkapoor72) April 20, 2026
READ: Ukraine Fileds Robots to Replace Soldiers in War with Russia
A 56-year-old eyewitness told German media the attack appeared coordinated and pre-planned.
“Shortly before the prayer service, the attackers suddenly used pepper spray. Then one of them fired a pistol. I also saw knives,” the witness said, describing scenes of confusion and terror inside the gurdwara.
Police said the exact cause of the violence remains under investigation, but early findings point to a bitter power struggle between rival factions over control of the gurdwara’s governing committee and community funds, including disputes reportedly linked to the temple’s donation box, or golak. Some community members said tensions between former and current committee members had been simmering for months.
Emergency responders treated all 11 injured at the scene, with victims suffering cuts, head wounds and other injuries. Authorities said none of the injuries were life-threatening.
At least one suspect was detained, while investigators continue to reconstruct the sequence of events and identify those responsible. Although a firearm has not been recovered, shell casings found at the scene suggest the weapon may have been a blank-firing pistol, according to preliminary police findings.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the Sikh community in Germany and beyond, with many expressing outrage that violence erupted inside a sacred place of worship. Community leaders have called for calm, accountability and a transparent investigation into one of the most serious incidents of internal violence reported at a gurdwara in recent years.
