Guards, village volunteers foil arson try on Sikh Temple

An Indian national is facing charges of grave threats and physical injuries after he poured gasoline on a car and inside a store at the compound of the Sikh Temple in Manila on Monday afternoon.

Police Officer 3 Jayjay Jacob of the Manila Police District General Assignment Unit identified the suspect as Gurinder Singh Pal, 44, a resident of Paco, Manila.

Jacob said a brewing business rivalry could have been the motive for the arson attempt.

Pal was brought to the police station by barangay volunteers who immediately responded to calls for help from temple members.

The policeman said Pal first tried to burn a store inside the compound of the temple along United Nations Avenue in Manila at 4:30 p.m.

According to the statements of three complainants, Pal arrived at the compound with a bottle of gasoline and poured the contents inside a store owned by one of the complainants, Mercer Clamor Singh.

The complainants said the suspect wanted to put up a store inside the compound, but the request was turned down, Jacob added.

An investigation showed that Pal had slapped Singh when she tried to stop him from lighting the flammable contents of the bottle.

Another member of the temple, Gurdev Singh, saw the commotion and tried to intervene, but he was punched by the suspect.

Pal then turned his attention on the temple member and began pouring   gasoline on his vehicle.

Police said the attempt was foiled because the suspect was subdued by security guards of the temple together with barangay volunteers.