VIENNA, May 25 (RIA Novosti) - A 57-year-old Indian preacher died and 17 others were injured, many seriously, after men brandishing guns and knives attacked people in a Sikh temple in Vienna, Austrian radio said.
Police said the conflict started on Sunday during a religious service led by two visiting preachers from India, which caused anger among rival Sikh groups, who attacked the gurus with guns and knives.
The dead man was identified as Sant Rama Nand, a follower of the Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha movement. The other guru, Sant Niranjan Dass, 66, is reported to be in a stable condition following surgery.
"The doctor was initially satisfied with the condition of the injured after an emergency operation. However, he lost consciousness and died shortly after midnight," the Times of India cited a medical official as saying.
Two Sikhs were arrested with another four people being held under guard in hospital. Witnesses say that the attackers were from a higher caste than the preachers.
There are some 3,000 Sikhs living in Austria. The temple, which was opened in 2005, has fought for equality among Sikhs and against the deeply-ingrained caste system.
The conflict sparked violence in the northern Indian city of Jalandhar, with protestors from the same caste as the two preachers reported to have set cars on fire and blocked roads.
There is no information on whether anyone was injured in the Indian protests.
