Melbourne Gurudwara fire was 'deliberate', admits Oz

Melbourne: Australian police today said the blaze in a gurudwara here was a"deliberate" act and the possibility of arsonists using Molotovcocktails was being probed, even as an outraged Sikh community calledthe incident "race-related" and "an attack on Indians".

The partially-built Nanksar Thath Gurudwara in Lynbrook area here was damaged due to the fire that broke out at 0030 hrs local time yesterday (1900 hrs IST Tuesday). (Read: Fire at under-construction Gurudwara in Melbourne)

Reacting to the incident, Gurudwara elder Satnam Singh said the wilful destruction of a "God house" was an attack on Indians.

"This is an attack on religion," he was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'. "... this is a God house, everybody who comes here prays to God."

When asked whether he believed the attack to be race-related, Singh said: "Yes, (it is an) attack on Indians."

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Detective Senior Constable Paul Stow, in charge of the investigation, said police believed the arson to be a "deliberately lit fire."

However, detectives were yet to find out whether the incident had any race angle to it.

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"At this stage there is nothing to suggest it is (race-related) other than the fact that it happened to a temple," Detective Constable Stow was quoted as saying.

"... It is believed to have been set on fire with the use of Molotov cocktails early yesterday," the report said.