Hindu temple hate crime probe sought by US House India Caucus over Illinois shooting plot

The US Congressional Caucus on India has asked federal agencies to probe an alleged plan to attack a Hindu temple in Illinois. The group urged the FBI and the Department of Justice to treat the case as a possible federal hate crime. The request followed reports that a 19-year-old planned a mass shooting at a temple in Aurora.

Representative image

In a letter sent on Friday to Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, the House India Caucus sought a wider review. The lawmakers said investigators should check if anyone else helped the alleged attacker. They asked whether any person encouraged, assisted, or coordinated the plot, online or offline.

FBI and Department of Justice probe into Hindu temple Illinois plot

Congressmen Rich McCormick and Ro Khanna, co-chairs of the House India Caucus, said the incident should not be viewed alone. "This plot did not emerge in isolation but reflects broader, troubling trends,\" McCormick and Khanna said in the letter. They asked for all charges supported by evidence, if the case meets federal hate crime standards.

The lawmakers also pressed the FBI and the Justice Department to share threat details quickly. They requested updates be provided to state and local police. They also wanted Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and other South Asian places of worship to receive timely warnings and protective resources.

FBI and Department of Justice data on hate crime threats to Hindu Americans

The letter also sought a briefing for the Caucus on risks facing Hindu Americans and Indian Americans. It asked what steps the Department and FBI are taking to respond. The lawmakers cited FBI data showing a rise in reported hate crimes targeting Sikh, Hindu, and Buddhist communities in 2025.

They also referenced findings on online hostility and personal harassment. The Centre for the Study of Organised Hate reported anti-South Asian hate posts on X rose about 240 per cent between January 2024 and June 2026. A Carnegie Endowments 2026 survey found one in four Indian American adults reported being called a slur since early 2025.

The lawmakers linked those trends to the Aurora case and warned of growing risks. \"The attempted attack in Aurora underscores the very real danger posed by this rising hostility. Every American deserves to worship without fear. We urge you to treat this case, and the hate behind it, with the seriousness it demands,\" McCormick and Khanna said.

With inputs from PTI