Mass stabbing at Indiana Sikh temple

For those who don't know much about Sikhism -- an offshoot of Hinduism -- is that it has strict dress requirements, particularly for the male members. All observant Sikhs are required to wear turbans, which is why Sikhs don't play hockey. They also wear special underpants, but we need not concern ourselves with that.

The requirement which you should know about, if you find yourself in the company of Sikhs, is that they must carry a kirpan -- a ceremonial dagger such as that being shown off by the young man in the picture.

That's something that you should bear in mind if you live in the Greater Toronto or Vancouver areas of Canada, or any part of North America which has a sizeable Sikh community. Like, for instance, Greenwood, Indiana. As in any place inhabited by a colony of Sikhs, Greenwood boasts a Sikh gurdwara, or temple. The one on South Graham Road in Greenwood is called the Gurdwara Shri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji Sikh Temple.

The gurdwara is the site of many activities, including the occasional knife fight -- make that kirpan fight -- between various groups of Singhs. (All Sikhs are Singhs, but not all Singhs are Sikhs [like cognac and brandy. Ed.]) According to Fox 59 News, one such took place this afternoon, when some 150 worshippers were involved in which local police described as a "brawl", which apparently broke out during a "transition of power ceremony".

The Greenwood Mayor's Office reported that six to twelve people were stabbed, but the number actually injured seems to have been no more than three or four. Police investigations into the extent of damage suffered by victims, and who exactly was involved in the attacks, have been stymied by the fact that all of the victims as well as their assailants were named "Singh". Local sherlocks have, however, figured out that the cause of the brawl was that those in power did not wish to step down.