Melbourne, May 13 Police in Australia's New South Wales (NSW) have released two images and sought public help to nab the culprits who vandalised BAPS Swaminarayan temple in a Sydney suburb last week.
Officers attached to Cumberland Police Area Command were called to the building on Eleanor Street about 9 a.m. on May 5 after paint was found sprayed outside, the NSW police said, adding that the incident occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
Following inquiries, detectives have released an image of a vehicle last seen travelling on Virginia Street toward James Ruse Drive, Rosehill, in the early hours of May 5 morning.
They believe the occupants of the vehicle may have information which could assist investigators, or even possibly dashcam vision.
The second image released by the police shows a person in the vicinity of the temple who is dressed in dark clothing and is wearing a dark beanie and a face mask.
It's not known if the person depicted has any connection with the vehicle depicted in the other image, the NSW Police said in a statement.
Cumberland Commander, Superintendent Sheridan Waldau, said she hoped the community may have information which could help investigators identify the person or the car.
"We are also hopeful that the person, or the occupants of the car, will contact detectives as we believe they could have information crucial to the investigation," Superintendent Waldau said."NSW Police works closely with members of a widely-diverse community in western Sydney, and it's disappointing that actions such as these can cause unnecessary distress.
"Police rely on the support of the local community to provide information so it can be investigated, but it's important to know that information provided will be treated with the strictest confidence," she said.
The incident comes just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Australia on May 23.
India has time and again registered a strong protest with the Australian government asking it to take swift action and bring perpetrators to the book.
During his visit to India this year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had assured Modi of strict action, saying that safety of the Indian community is a priority of his government.
mi/pgh
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