India's Modi, Canada's Trudeau condemn violence at Hindu temple near Toronto

New Delhi - The Prime Ministers of India and Canada condemned the violence that occurred in a Hindu temple near Toronto on Sunday; Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions between the two countries are increasing.

Videos posted on social media show people hitting and punching each other with flagpoles in the Toronto suburb of Brampton. It was not clear who started the violence, and Reuters could not independently confirm the truth of these events.

The incident comes weeks after Ottawa expelled six Indian diplomats, linking them to the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. Canada has accused the Indian government of conducting a massive campaign against South Asian dissidents in the country, a charge New Delhi denies.

Peel local police said Monday that three people are facing criminal charges related to Sunday's protests, but did not provide further details.

"Several illegal activities are still being actively investigated," police said in a statement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted in a strongly-worded statement on the X social network on Monday.

"I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada," Modi said. The cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats are equally shocking."

He added: "Such acts of violence will never weaken India's resolve." "We expect the Canadian government to do justice and uphold the law."

His Canadian counterpart, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said on Sunday that these "acts of violence" were unacceptable.

India has accused Trudeau of pursuing a "political agenda" in the dispute and has expelled six Canadian diplomats in response to Canada's expulsion of its diplomats.

North America-based Sikh Activists for Justice said Sunday that "pro-Khalstan Sikhs who were peacefully protesting ... were violently attacked by a group of Canadian Indians."

Indian media reported that an Indian consular camp at the scene was the target of violence.

New Delhi's foreign ministry said the violence was carried out by "extremists and separatists".

The ministry added that it remains "deeply concerned about the safety and security of Indian citizens in Canada."

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