NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the reported demolition of a historic, century-old Hindu temple located in Siraj village in Narowal, within Pakistan's Punjab province. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially urged the Pakistani government to carry out a prompt and transparent investigation into the matter.

Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India “unequivocally” condemned the incident, describing it as a “reprehensible act of vandalism against a century old minority place of worship.”

Jaiswal emphasized that the apparent failure and apathy of local authorities to protect the site raised serious alarms. He noted that such occurrences serve as a stark reminder of the continuing vulnerability of minority communities and the violations of their religious freedoms and heritage in Pakistan.

India outlined key demands for the Pakistani government regarding the incident:

• Conduct a prompt and transparent investigation to hold those responsible fully accountable.
• Implement immediate remedial measures to restore the desecrated temple.
• Fulfill its primary obligation to guarantee the safety, security, and well-being of all minority citizens and their cultural heritage.

The temple, which stood approximately 130 km from Lahore, was demolished on August 21. Following the event, minority groups and local Hindu community leaders demanded an investigation and the immediate restoration of the site.

Differing explanations have emerged regarding the destruction of the site:

• Minority Groups: Alleged that religious zealots targeted the location to absorb the land into an adjacent madrassa.
• Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB): Maintained that the structure collapsed due to torrential rains.

ETPB senior official Rana Iftikhar acknowledged the historical value of the site, confirming it was “more than 100 to 125 years old,” while asserting that the land had not been leased to anyone.