Police in Naperville, a Chicago suburb home to a large Indian American population, have ramped up patrols at religious sites and launched free security assessments for places of worship — more than two weeks after an alleged neo-Nazi plot to attack a Hindu temple in neighbouring Aurora was foiled on October 11, the first day of Navaratri. The stepped-up measures, reported this week, reflect deepening anxiety across multiple faith communities in the region, and they come as the accused man returns to court on Friday, October 30.

Source: Nation Press / IANS

Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres outlined the new measures at an interfaith ‘Dialogue on Hate Crimes’ held at Wesley United Methodist Church in Naperville, which drew more than 50 people from at least seven faith communities. The event was organised by United for Peace and the Naperville Interfaith Leaders Association.

Source: Nation Press / IANS

“We have a group that will come in and does assessments of your places of worship,” Chief Arres said. “Everything from where you have cameras, if you need them, where you may even trim bushes or add lighting to keep [your facility] safe, all kinds of free things that we'll do to help the security of our community.” He also encouraged faith leaders to enrol in the department's free Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events course and urged anyone who sees suspicious activity to call 911 without hesitation.

Source: Nation Press / IANS

What allegedly happened at the Balaji Temple on October 11

This is a follow-up to a case Awaaz Punjab has already reported — including the push by 105 members of Congress for a federal hate-crime investigation. Prosecutors allege that Alexandros Paporakis, 19, of Palatine, a self-identified neo-Nazi, showed up at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora on October 11, as worshippers gathered in Hindu temples to kick off the festival of Navaratri, sat in the parking lot, and fled before getting off a shot because his rifle jammed. All of the allegations against him remain unproven in court.

Source: Associated Press

Paporakis was arrested later that day near his home in Palatine, about 40 miles (64 kilometres) from the temple, after a co-worker at a Taco Bell alerted authorities to his alleged plan to “kill Indian people,” prosecutors said. Investigators say he had written an eight-page white supremacist manifesto describing violence against people of Indian descent at a Hindu house of worship.

Source: Associated Press

After the arrest, authorities said they recovered weapons, ammunition, a gas canister labelled with a slur referring to South Asians, and several items depicting Nazi symbols from his home. Officials said Paporakis wrote a lengthy note in which he fantasised about mass murder and expressed his desire to kill as many non-white people as he could, the Associated Press reported. Prosecutors say he described himself as a white supremacist and neo-Nazi and used slurs and hateful language to refer to Indians and other minority groups.

Source: Associated Press

“Appalled and disgusted” — but determined to celebrate

Members of the targeted temple and others in the area told the Associated Press they are seeking comfort in preserving traditions, determined to celebrate the holidays without fear. “A lot of us are just really appalled and just kind of disgusted,” said Asha Rao, executive director of The Chicago Kasam, a nonprofit that brings together the area's South Asian community. “This is supposed to be a very peaceful time for our community, for all of us to come together and get time with our loved ones, our family, our friends, and be able to celebrate in a safe way.”

Source: Associated Press

Navaratri is a nine-night celebration of the Goddess Durga, culminating in Dussehra, with Diwali about three weeks later. Avatans Kumar, a freelance columnist who occasionally attends the targeted temple, said the festival season has this year been shaped by discussions about security: “People are more vigilant now. People are looking for any signs of disturbance, keeping eyes and ears open.” Rao said some people were “more hesitant” to leave home and celebrate, but the threat had also sparked a renewed resilience — what she called curating “resilience in community in times like this.”

Source: Associated Press

At the Naperville dialogue, Mayor Scott Wehrli addressed attendees directly: “There was an attempted attack on our residents, members of our community, who were at a Hindu temple in Aurora, by somebody who was full of hate and all sorts of ideas that our community just does not tolerate.” Aurora Mayor John Laesch also attended. Shalini Gupta, a board member of United for Peace, noted the manifesto's broad targeting: “The manifesto the shooter had expressed hate towards many communities and the Jewish community, African Americans, Indians, and others.” Naperville resident Saily Joshi, whose family visits the temple, said: “To see that happen so close to home, it was scary, that's a temple that our family goes to.” Rabbi David Eber of Congregation Beth Shalom observed that synagogues across America were already implementing similar security protocols.

Source: Nation Press / IANS

The hate-crime question, and the numbers behind the fear

South Asian local and congressional leaders are pushing law enforcement to investigate whether the thwarted attack was a hate crime and to pursue additional charges if it was. US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who was at the temple with his family during the alleged attempt, has said he is “calling on the FBI to investigate and prosecute this particular matter as a hate crime.” A bipartisan group of 105 members of Congress led by Krishnamoorthi formally asked FBI Director Kash Patel to confirm by October 29 whether the bureau is investigating the incident as a federal hate crime. No federal charges have been announced; the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has indicated it is reviewing the case.

Source: Associated Press

The fear has data behind it. Use of anti-South Asian slurs online rose by 109% from 2023 to 2025, and nearly half of all South Asian adults said they experienced a hate act due to their race, ethnicity or nationality last year, according to Stop AAPI Hate, which collects reports of hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Illinois' South Asian population rose from more than 242,000 in 2010 to more than 337,000 in 2020, around 2.5% of the state's total population, according to the South Asian American Policy and Research Institute. Rishab Chatty, who leads the Chicago chapter of Hindus for Human Rights, said hatred directed at Hindus and South Asians was once thought to exist mainly in chat rooms and school cafeterias but is “becoming more and more violent,” adding that many in the community are “really questioning what it means to belong in a country that exercises hate and violence against them.”

Source: Associated Press