The clash at Greenwood gurdwara following leadership change in April this year left four people injured
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The Johnson County prosecutor’s office has filed charges against 27 more people suspected of being involved in the April 15 brawl at Greenwood gurdwara in the US, according to Fox59.com.
Now, 45 people are facing charges for a verbal and physical fight involving nearly 150 people at the gurdwara in the city, just south of Indianapolis. In July, 18 people were named in the case.
The altercation began as there was a change of leadership within the temple which happens every two years. There was a worship service going on when the fight broke out. Four people suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital.
Prosecutor Brad Cooper said investigators scanned security and cellphone video footage. The video enabled investigators to identify 27 more people who allegedly took part in the fight, according to Fox59.com.
“Took what we would say is some sort of an aggressive act during it,” Cooper was quoted by Fox59.com as saying. “It wasn’t just self defence, it wasn’t standing by. It was some active involvement in the fight,” he added.
Some of those being charged this week have publicly condemned the violence, claiming to be victims or bystanders. But Cooper says the surveillance video tells a different story. “If you actively engage in a fight in public and took an aggressive act to enter into that fight, that’s disorderly conduct and that’s what we’ve charged,” Fox59.com quoted Cooper as saying.
All 27 people are being charged with disorderly conduct, a class B misdemeanour. They each will receive a summons to appear in court, so no arrest warrants have been issued, reported Fox59.com.
The battle over the control of gurdwara that sparked the brawl is still playing out in a civil court. Several plaintiffs claim leaders broke gurdwara bylaws with they were elected to power in early April.
A judge has ordered a stay in the case, to give gurdwara members time to conduct their conflict resolution process.