A 17-year-old boy has been charged on July 13 with multiple offences, including assault and threats to kill, after being arrested with a bladed weapon at the scene of an attack on a gurdwara in south-east England.
Investigators from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate charged the boy with "assault occasioning actual bodily harm, using or threatening unlawful violence, threats to kill, threatening a person with a bladed weapon and possessing a bladed article in a public place" for the attack at Sri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend on July 11 evening.
According to reports, the boy who has been remanded in custody to appear before Maidstone Crown Court was living with a Sikh family in the area and suffering from some mental health issues.
“We understand local people’s concerns about this incident which we are treating as isolated. Our patrols will remain in the area for reassurance and we would like to thank the community for their continued support and assistance,” said Chief Superintendent Angie Chapman, North Kent Divisional Commander of Kent Police.
The gurdwara, one of the largest outside India, said it is cooperating with the police investigation.
“A person has been arrested by Kent Police on suspicion of attempted murder, after entering the gurdwara and creating an incident in one of the Darbar Halls. We can confirm that the incident happened after Sukhasan and 'Guru Granth Sahib Ji' was not present in the Darbar Hall,” its management team said.
The police said the "disturbance" took place inside the premises of the gurdwara and two women suffered cuts and bruises after being "assaulted" outside the place of worship shortly afterwards. Nobody was seriously injured during the incident and the constables recovered a bladed weapon from the suspect.