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Vandalism · LLA-000056

Vijay's Sherawali Temple, Hayward, defaced

Date
4 January 2024
Location
Hayward, California, United States
Community
Hindu
Incident type
Desecration / Vandalism
Religious / Identity Motive ReportedCredible sources report a religious or identity motive; not conclusively established.

The temple was tagged with “Modi is terrorist” and “Khalistan Zindabad” graffiti, two weeks after the Newark incident.

Temple Incident Details

Temple / sacred site
Vijay's Sherawali Temple, Hayward
Tradition / sampradaya
Not recorded
Incident type
Graffiti
Damage type
Graffiti / defacement
Was anyone inside?
Unknown
Investigation status
Under Investigation
Law-enforcement agency
Not publicly identified
Last updated
2026-10-03

Evidence Concerning Targeting or Motive

No specific evidence of motive has been recorded. A perpetrator's religion is never treated as evidence of motive.

Casualties / Displacement

Fatalities
Unknown
Injuries
Unknown
Displaced
Unknown

Where credible sources differ, the archive shows confirmed figures and reported estimates separately rather than a single exact number.

Sources

Primary sources

  1. Hindu Temple defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti in California's Hayward — The Hindu (ANI), 2024-01-05Contemporaneous News ReportMajor news organization
    Source

Secondary sources

  1. Sikhs condemn vandalism of Bay Area Hindu temples — ABC7 San Francisco, 2024-02-02Contemporaneous News ReportCredible local reporting
    Source
  2. After multiple California Hindu temples vandalized, HAF urges law enforcement action — Hindu American Foundation, 2024-01-05Community DocumentationCommunity documentation
    Source

Methodology

This record distinguishes documented facts from allegations, estimates and disputed interpretations, and may be revised as reliable evidence emerges. Last reviewed 2026-10-03. Read our research methodology.