Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Four members of Sikh community among dead in Indianapolis FedEx shooting

Four members of Sikh community among dead in Indianapolis FedEx shooting

FOUR members of the Sikh religious community, three women and one man, were killed in a Thursday (15) night shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis that claimed the lives of eight workers, a community group and local leader said on Friday (16).

"Out of eight, four are Sikh community members," said businessman Gurinder Singh Khalsa, who identified himself as a leader of the local Sikh community and said he had spoken with the families of those killed.


He said the FedEx operations center near the city's international airport was known for providing employment to older members of the Sikh community who did not necessarily speak fluent English. Thousands of Sikh-Americans live in Indiana, according to community members.

Indianapolis police have yet to confirm the identities of any of the victims of the mass shooting.

But law student Komal Chohan, in a Twitter exchange with Reuters, said that her grandmother Amarjeet Kaur Johal was among the victims and that several other relatives who worked at the facility were "traumatised."

Earlier, Chohan had written on Twitter that her grandmother "was gonna work a double so she could have the day off today but decided to just grab her check and go home. she still had her check in her hand when they found her."

Another worker who had just moved from India and only recently began working at the facility was also among the victims, she wrote: "what a hard and cruel world we live in."

Most of the world's roughly 25 million Sikhs live in the northern Indian state of Punjab, according to the New York-based Sikh Coalition advocacy group. An estimated 500,000 Sikhs live in the US.

A Twitter user identified as Aurinder, who said they were Chohan's sibling, also posted about their grandmother.

"Every time I saw news articles of mass shootings it never really phased me. My Nani Ji (beloved grandmother) was murdered last night coming back home from work," Aurinder wrote.

The massacre is the most recent in a series of US mass shootings that has again pushed the issue of gun violence to the political foreground.

Eight people were shot to death at three day spas in the Atlanta area in mid-March, raising fears that the gunman had targeted Asian Americans amid a rise in hate crimes. Days later, a gunman killed 10 people at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan said it would be premature to speculate on the motive of the gunman in Indianapolis, a 19-year-old former FedEx employee.

The Sikh Coalition said on Twitter that it expects "authorities will conduct a full investigation - including the possibility of bias as a factor."

Since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US perpetrated by the Islamist militant group al Qaeda, Sikh men have sometimes been confused publicly with Muslims because they wear turbans and their hair and beards uncut.

"While many have a tendency to describe anti-Sikh hate violence as 'mistaken identity,' defaulting to this framework is problematic," an educational pamphlet on the Sikh Coalition's website reads. "It fails to account for the other alternate bias-related motivations behind the violence."

In 2012, a lone white, male gunman shot and killed six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin in what authorities said was a domestic terrorism incident. The attacker fatally shot himself after a gun battle with police.

Chohan said the Sikh community had been through "enough trauma."

"My nani, my family, and our families should not feel unsafe at work, at their place of worship, or anywhere," she said in a statement sent to Reuters.

More For You

uk weather

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England

iStock

England faces widespread heat alerts and hosepipe bans amid rising temperatures

Highlights:

  • Amber heat health alerts in place for large parts of England
  • Hosepipe bans announced in Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex
  • Temperatures could reach 33°C over the weekend
  • Health risks rise, especially for elderly and vulnerable groups

Heat warnings in effect as UK braces for another hot weekend

Amber heat health alerts have been issued across several regions of England, with temperatures expected to climb to 33°C in some areas over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated the warning at 12 pm on Friday, with it set to remain in place until 9 am on Monday.

The alerts cover the East Midlands, West Midlands, south-east, south-west, East of England, and London. Additional yellow alerts were issued for the north-east, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, starting from midday Friday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kapil Sharma

Kapil Sharma’s Canada cafe shot at days after opening

Instagram/ginnichatrath

Kapil Sharma’s Canadian café targeted in shooting, Khalistani terrorist cites mockery of Nihang Sikhs as motive

Highlights:

  • Shots were fired at Kap’s Café in Surrey, Canada, owned by comedian Kapil Sharma, just days after its opening.
  • Khalistani extremist Harjit Singh Laddi, linked to banned group BKI, claimed responsibility.
  • The motive cited was an old comedy segment from The Kapil Sharma Show that allegedly mocked Nihang Sikhs.
  • No injuries were reported; Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s recently launched Kap’s Café in Surrey, British Columbia, was the target of a shooting in the early hours of 10 July. Though no one was harmed, the property sustained significant damage. A known Khalistani extremist, Harjit Singh Laddi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, citing perceived religious disrespect on The Kapil Sharma Show.

 Kap\u2019s Cafe in Surrey  Kap’s Cafe in Surrey was struck by gunfire late at night with staff still insideInstagram/thekapscafe_

Keep ReadingShow less
Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

Models depicting migrants wearing life jackets in a small boat alongside two banners reading 'Stop the boats' and 'Veterans before refugees' are displayed on top a bonfire in Moygashel, Northern Ireland, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by PETER MURPHY/AFP via Getty Images)

Police probe hate crime over migrant effigies bonfire in Northern Ireland

POLICE in Northern Ireland have launched a hate crime investigation after a bonfire topped with effigies of migrants in a boat was set alight in the village of Moygashel, County Tyrone.

The incident, which took place on Thursday (10) night, has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, church officials, and human rights groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
Navratri festival in Wembley

A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.

Getty Images

Navratri festival in Wembley faces objections

A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.

Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.

Keep ReadingShow less