Preacher dies after Sikh temple attack in Vienna

Mon May 25, 2009 3:00am EDT

VIENNA May 25 (Reuters) - A Sikh preacher wounded in an attack on a temple in Vienna has died, the Austrian national news agency APA said on Monday, citing a police official.

At least nine people were wounded on Sunday when armed men attacked the preacher and worshippers with a gun and knives.

Guru Sant Rama Nand, 57, died in the night after an emergency operation, APA reported. Another preacher is in a stable condition, it said, adding that they had both suffered bullet wounds.

APA quoted witnesses as saying the preacher had travelled from India to Vienna to conduct the service even though members of rival temples had threatened violence if he appeared.

"It was a (regular) Sikh religious service and there were six fundamentalists who entered the congregation and apparently had fallen out with the preacher," the police spokeswoman said.

A police spokeswoman said on Sunday six suspects had been arrested and were among those wounded in the incident. APA reported late on Sunday that around 30 people had been hurt. (Reporting by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Jon Hemming)



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