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Two men stabbed inside gurdwara in Canada's Alberta
Samira Vishwas | August 22, 2026 12:24 PM CST

Edmonton, August 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

Two men were stabbed inside the Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple in Edmonton, Alberta, after a man allegedly disrupted morning prayers ahead of a wedding ceremony, police and community representatives said.

The incident took place shortly after 5 am at the gurdwara near 14 Street and Horsehill Road. The Edmonton Police Service said officers responding to the incident arrested a man at the scene. Emergency personnel treated two adult male victims, whose injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

Police had not announced a motive or said whether the incident was being investigated as a hate-motivated crime.

Temple representative Harmeek Sehgal said the suspect entered the gurdwara during morning prayers being held ahead of a wedding scheduled later in the day. Those conducting the prayers initially tried to speak with him, but he allegedly refused to cooperate.

Sehgal said the men then attempted to restrain him and a confrontation followed, during which two people were stabbed. He said both victims were conscious after the incident.

“The last I heard, they both were talking,” Sehgal said.

Despite the incident, the scheduled wedding ceremony went ahead at around 10.30 am.

Sehgal said there was no reported damage to property or the Sikh scriptures, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, during the incident. He added that the community was awaiting the outcome of the police investigation to determine what led to the confrontation.

Harman Kandola, spokesperson for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, said the incident had cast a shadow over what was intended to be a celebratory occasion.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund also expressed solidarity with the victims and Edmonton's Sikh community, describing violence inside a place of worship as deeply troubling. The organization urged gurdwaras in the US to review emergency procedures, keep exits accessible and maintain communication with local law-enforcement agencies.


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