MAPLE GROVE, MINNESOTA, April 8, 2006: The inside of a Hindu temple under construction in Maple Grove suffered much damage. Vandals sometime Wednesday night or early Thursday morning kicked in temple doors and smashed windows. They destroyed nine of the 14 deities, and broke holes in the walls and ceilings of a large auditorium, dining hall and classrooms. An inauguration of the $8 million temple, scheduled to open in early June, may be delayed. The deities, which were handcrafted in India, cannot be used now. Religious leaders say they will be difficult to replace. Hindu leaders met at the temple Saturday afternoon to discuss matters and figure out how quickly they can get new Deities. It will take at least 6 months to have them made and then shipped to Minnesota, not in time for the planned inauguration. There are more than 20,000 Hindus in Minnesota. The new 43,000 square-foot temple will be the largest in state and surrounding area. No arrests have been made and there are no suspects. Investigators believe it’s a random act of violence and do not think it’s a hate crime. Maple Grove police increased patrols in the area and the temple has hired its own security.
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